Quantum tunneling effect device and semiconductor composite substrate

ABSTRACT

A new switching element and a circuit device and the like using the same element are provided, which comprises semiconductor in which a channel region is formed at an interface with an insulating film, first and second terminals S, D, which are located in corresponding manner to both ends of the channel region, and through which a tunnel current is let to flow into the channel region, and a third terminal G giving a high frequency vibration to a potential barrier of the channel region through the insulating film, wherein the tunnel current flowing into the channel region is increased as a value of an exponential function is increased with a predetermined threshold vibration frequency as a boundary value.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a quantum effect device and the likeused for super-integration of an electronic circuit.

The semiconductor industry has achieved a high degree of integration byreducing an area occupied by one functional element and developedtogether with improvements on technologies, for example, of a process,an element, circuit design and the like to achieve such a high degree ofintegration.

As a switching element used for switching in a semiconductor chip, whilea MOS transistor has mainly employed, control of a diffused layer formedin an Si substrate has been harder and in addition improvement onreliability of an isolation oxide film has been problematic since thetransistor is operated by applying an electric field to an interfacewith progress in miniaturization of an element. Particularly, inconnection with the reliability of an isolation oxide film, it has beenwidely known that a trap level caused by an impurity, a defect and thelike in the oxide film and a high electric field encourage tunneling ofelectrons and generate a leakage current.

Under such circumstances, although efforts have been conducted toimprove a film quality at a molecular level in order to solve theproblem, it has not sufficiently been understood how to improve the filmquality and therefore, it is hard to improve a film quality at amolecular level in a semiconductor fabrication process under the currenttechnologies, so that it is considered that the improvement is ratherimpossible. Further, since a semiconductor substrate which is uniform instructure and in composition has been employed, it is difficult tofabricate various devices in one chip.

For such reasons, a functional element, which has a margin in filmquality, whose switching function is not deteriorated even with thepresence of a some leakage current, and which has no diffused layer hasbeen required. In detail, it is required to provide a function element,which operates at a low voltage of 1V or lower, and which can make acurrent drastically larger than a leakage current flow in a conductivecondition or a circuit device which uses a semiconductor compositesubstrate and various kinds of converter, and which can process anoptical signal, an analogue signal, a digital signal and the like at thesame time.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new switchingelement having the above mentioned features and a circuit device and thelike using the same new switching element.

A quantum effect device according to the present invention has a featurethat a tunnel current is increased exponentially by making a quantumabsorbed by tunneling electron in or releasing it from a tunnelingelectron.

A quantum effect device according to the present invention has a featurethat a tunnel current is increased exponentially by making a quantumabsorbed by tunneling electron in or releasing it from a tunnelingelectron and switching is conducted based on presence or non-presence ofthe increase of the tunnel current.

In the quantum effect device, as the quantum, for example, a photon orexcitation of energy by a high frequency vibration of a potentialbarrier is used. Particularly, increase in a tunnel current caused bythe latter is called BL tunneling.

A quantum effect device according to the present invention has a featurethat the device comprises a tunnel film and a pair of electrodes withthe tunnel film interposing therebetween, wherein a tunnel currentflowing between the pair of electrodes is increased exponentially byquantum exchange between light passing through the tunnel film and atunneling electron flowing between the pair of electrodes.

A quantum effect device according to the present invention has a featurethat the device comprises a first and second terminals, and a tunnelfilm through which a tunnel current is let to flow between those twoterminals, wherein a high frequency vibration is given to a potentialbarrier of the tunnel film by applying a high frequency to at least oneof the first and second terminals and thus the tunnel current flowingthrough the tunnel film is increased with the frequency if it is largerthan a predetermined threshold frequency as a boundary value (BLtunneling). Particularly, such a quantum effect device is called a twoterminal BL tunnel element.

A quantum effect device according to the present invention has a featurethat the device comprises a first and second terminals, and a tunnelfilm through which a tunnel current is let to flow between those twoterminals and a third terminal by which a high frequency vibration isgiven to a potential barrier of the tunnel film, wherein the tunnelcurrent flowing through the tunnel film is increased with the frequencyif it is larger than a predetermined threshold vibration frequency as aboundary value (BL tunneling). Particularly, such an quantum effectdevice is called a three-terminal BL tunnel element.

A quantum effect device according to the present invention has a featurethat the device comprises a first tunnel film formed on a substrate, afirst gate formed on the first tunnel film, a second tunnel film formedon the first gate and a second gate formed on the second tunnel film,wherein a tunnel current flowing between the first gate and thesubstrate or the first gate and the second gate is increased with a highfrequency vibration input to the first or the second gate if thefrequency is larger than a predetermined threshold vibration frequencyas a boundary value.

A quantum effect device according to the present invention has a featurethat the device comprises: a channel region formed in semiconductorunderlying an insulating film interposing a first and second terminalsby which a tunnel current is let to flow through the channel region, andwhich are located in corresponding manner to both ends of the channelregion; and a third terminal located across the insulating film andgiving a high frequency vibration to a potential barrier of the channelregion, wherein the tunnel current flowing through the channel region isincreased with the frequency if it is larger than a predeterminedthreshold vibration frequency as a boundary value.

A semiconductor composite substrate according to the present inventionhas a feature that the substrate comprises: plural kinds ofsemiconductor region which are different from each other or one anotherin composition or structure each in the shape of a band; and a substrateisolation region sandwiched between semiconductor regions.

According to the present invention, since quantum absorption in atunneling electron is used as a operational principle, there can beobtained a new device which has a feature that a margin in reliabilityof an insulating film is secured.

Besides, since the semiconductor composite substrate is used,semiconductor regions of respectively different characteristics can beformed in one chip, so that, for example, a high frequency generator andthe quantum effect device can be formed in respective semiconductorregions which are suitable for the generator and the device.

Detailed embodiments of the present invention will be described inaspects of the present inventions A to M in a separate manner.

[A constitution of an aspect A of the present invention]

(Feature: A1)

The aspect A has a feature that a quantum effect switching device isconstituted in such a manner that a tunneling electron is subjected toan intentional quantum exchange and thereby a quantity of a tunnelcurrent is adjusted at an exponential rate.

(Feature: A2)

A feature is that the switching device set forth in A1 comprises a thintunnel film, two electrodes, and a quantum generator which can directlyexchange a quantum with a tunneling electron in said tunnel filminterposing between said two electrodes.

(Feature: A3)

A feature is that the switching device is constituted in such a mannerthat a tunnel current is increased by a factor of exp (2ω/ωo) when thetunneling electron in the tunnel film set forth in A2 absorbs a quantum[ω](ω=hν) from the quantum generator set forth in A2 and the tunnelcurrent is not increased exponentially when the absorption does notoccur.

Herein, the characteristic frequency ω_(o) is given by a mathematicalformula (1): ##EQU1## where U(x) is a potential of the tunnel film,T_(ox) is the thickness of a tunnel film and m is the effective mass ofan tunneling electron.

(Feature: A4)

A feature is that the state that the tunnel current set forth in A3 isexponentially increased is used as "switch ON" and the state that thetunnel current is not increased exponentially is used as "switch OFF."

(Feature: A5)

A feature is that a switching device has a feature that a photon, energyexcitation by electric high frequency vibration of a potential, or thelike, is used as the quantum set forth in A1.

(Feature: A6)

A feature is that a switching device using the photon in A5 as thequantum set forth in A1 has a feature that as a tunnel film, a thin filmmade of a material which has a high electrical insulating property, andoptical transparence (quartz glass, soda-lime glass, boro-silicateglass, flint glass, organic glass and the like) is used, and an internalstructure such that refractive indexes are smaller on both electrodesides of the thin film, makes an efficiency improved.

(Feature: A7)

A feature is that one of the two electrodes set forth in A2 is used as asource and the other is used as a drain, a terminal through which anenergy quantum is injected into a tunnel film is provided so that athree terminal switching device is constituted.

(Feature: A8)

A feature is that the switching device using the photon in A5 as thequantum set forth in A1 is constituted so that the switching device canbe applied as a photoelectric converter in which a light signal isconverted to an electric signal.

(Feature: A9)

A feature is that the photoelectric converter is constituted in such amanner that two electrodes are mounted in the diameter direction of anoptical fiber used instead of the tunnel film set forth in A6. Severaloptical fibers may be used in a bundle as the tunnel film set forth inA6.

(Feature: A10)

A feature is that the electric high frequency vibration set forth in A5causes a periodical high frequency vibration of a tunnel barrier, and atunnel electron absorbs a quantum from the periodical vibration of thetunnel barrier and the tunnel current is increased exponentially whenthe frequency is sufficiently high (BL tunneling).

[Action and effect of the aspect A of the present invention]

A new tunnel element with a quantum exchange of a tunnel electron as anoperational principle can be realized.

[A constitution of an aspect B of the present invention]

(Feature: B1)

The aspect B is directed to a switching device having a feature that aninput signal which periodically vibrates is input and a specificthreshold vibration frequency is present for the signal and further hasa feature that it is conductive when a vibration frequency of the inputsignal is larger than the threshold vibration frequency but notconductive when a vibration frequency of the input signal is smallerthan the threshold vibration frequency.

(Feature: B2)

A feature is that a switching device has a feature that the input signalset forth in B1 has a non-vibration component and a vibration componenthaving a vibration frequency larger than the threshold vibrationfrequency and the non-vibration component and the vibration componentare controlled by a control device. As a whole, a circuit device isdesigned as a circuit comprising a switching element, a control deviceand a peripheral functional element. By the control device, anon-vibration component of the input signal is controlled on itsmagnitude and sign, a vibration component of the input signal iscontrolled on its phase, amplitude and vibration frequency. Aconstitution of the control device is different according to a way ofutilization of the switching device. In the case where an input signalis a voltage, a non-vibration component of the input signal is a directcurrent voltage to be controlled by a direct current electric supply,control parameters therefor are a magnitude and a sign thereof, avibration component of the input signal is an alternating currentvoltage to be controlled by an alternating current power supply andcontrol parameters therefor are a phase, amplitude and vibrationfrequency. When an input signal is a current, a non-vibration componentof the input signal is a direct current to be controlled by a directcurrent power supply, control parameters therefor are a magnitude andsign thereof, a vibration component of the input signal is analternating current to be controlled by an alternating current powersupply and control parameters therefor are a phase, amplitude and avibration frequency.

(Feature: B3)

A feature is that in the switching device set forth in B1, one state ofbeing conductive and not being conductive is used as the ON state andthe other is used as the OFF state.

(Feature: B4)

A feature is that the switching device set forth in B1 comprises atunnel insulating film and a current is made to flow not to a surface ofa substrate but to the insulating film directly by BL tunneling, and thecurrent is exponentially increased according to a vibration frequency.

(Feature: B5)

The threshold vibration frequency set forth in B1 can be freely adjustedafter fabrication by controlling a non-vibration component of theperiodical vibration input signal set forth in B2 or can selectively setin advance in a fabrication process by selecting a kind of the tunnelinsulating film set forth in B4, wherein the kind of the tunnelinsulating film can be discriminated based on a material, a fabricationmethod, a thickness, an impurity or the like. The threshold vibrationfrequency can selectively set in advance in a step of the fabricationprocess by selecting kinds of substrate and gate electrode in additionof a kind of tunnel insulating film as well, wherein the kinds ofsubstrate and gate electrode are also selectively set in advance in astep of a fabrication process by changing a compositional element or itsfraction of the substrate or the gate electrode.

(Feature: B6)

A feature is that the input signal set forth in B1 periodically vibratesa potential barrier with a voltage, which periodically vibrates, light,a chemical reaction, or an exchange of a chemical material and a verysmall material of an atomic or molecular size equivalent to the chemicalmaterial and the like, or in a relative manner periodically vibrates aFermi surface of a layer directly adjacent to the potential barrier or aFermi surface of a layer adjacent to the potential barrier with one ormore layers interposing therebetween with any method available.

(Feature: B7)

The chemical material and a very small material of an atomic ormolecular size equivalent thereto set forth in B6 has a feature totransport a positive or negative charge and the potential barrier setforth in B6 has a feature that the barrier is made of the tunnelinsulating film set forth in B4.

(Feature: B8)

A feature is that the switching element set forth in B1 has twoterminals, the signal which periodically vibrates set forth in B1 isinput to both or one of the two terminals, and the two terminals aremade conductive therebetween when a vibration frequency of the inputsignal set forth in B1 is larger than the threshold vibration frequencyset forth in B1 but the two terminals are not made conductive when thevibration frequency is smaller than the threshold vibration frequency. Acurrent flowing between the two terminals is adjusted by a voltageapplied between the terminals, a periodical vibration component ornon-vibration component of the input signal.

(Feature: B9)

The switching element set forth in B1 has three terminals, the signalwhich periodically vibrates set forth in B1 is input to one of theterminals, the other two terminals are made conductive when a vibrationfrequency thereof is larger than the threshold vibration frequency setforth in B1 but the other two terminals are not made conductive when thevibration frequency thereof is smaller than the threshold vibrationfrequency. A current flowing between the other two terminals is adjustedby a voltage applied between the other two terminals and a non-vibrationcomponent of the input signal or a vibration component thereof.

(Feature: B10)

The tunnel insulating film set forth in B4 and the thin insulating filmset forth in B6 can be made of: an insulating film made of a chemicalcompound including a silicon, for example, nitride film, a silicon oxidefilm or the like; an insulating film made of an organic material orinorganic material; or a compound semiconductor.

(Feature: B11)

It is preferable that an amplitude of a periodical vibration of thepotential barrier set forth in B6 is smaller than the height of thepotential barrier (a time average of height of the potential barrier),and further an input is higher than 0.02V when the input which causes apotential vibration is a voltage.

(Feature: B12)

It is preferable that the thin insulating film set forth in B6 has abarrier lower or thinner than that of the tunnel insulating film setforth in B4.

(Feature: B13)

The threshold vibration frequency set forth in B1 can be reduced bythickening the tunnel insulating film set forth in B4 or by lowering atime average of height of the potential barrier set forth in B6.

(Feature: B14)

A substrate which is used for fabricating an integrated circuitcomprising the switching element set forth in B1 and an oscillatingdevice for oscillating a vibration component of the input signal setforth in B2 can be constituted of a silicon substrate, a compoundsemiconductor substrate or a composite substrate which is formed bybonding a silicon substrate and a compound semiconductor substrate.Particularly in the case of the composite substrate, the oscillatingdevice is fabricated on one or both, in a bridging manner, of thesilicon substrate and the compound semiconductor substrate and theswitching element is fabricated on one or both, in a bridging manner, ofthe silicon substrate and the compound semiconductor substrate.

(Feature: B15)

A feature is that the switching element set forth in B1 is realized in avertical structure in which: an insulating film, a gate 1, an insulatingfilm and a gate 2 formed on an n-type or a p-type well contacted to anindependent electrode and the well, the gate 1; the gate 2 arerespectively connected to independent electrodes; and the input signalset forth in B1 is applied to the well, the gate 1 or the gate 2.

(Feature: B16)

A feature is that the gate 2 is constituted of polysilicon formed at thebottom of a contact fabricated above the gate 1, and the gate 1 is afine wire made of a metal or polysilicon extending in parallel to thesurface of a substrate, passing through between a well and the gate 2,and a source/drain are not fabricated in a region of the substrate onwhich region the vertical structure corresponding to a unit cell isconstructed, and the size of the unit cell is determined by the width ofthe contact or the width of the gate 1, whichever is larger.

(Feature: B17)

A feature is that tunnel insulating films set forth in B4 are fabricatedbetween a well and a gate 1, and between the gate 1 and the gate 2formed thereon, and the threshold vibration frequency set forth in B1and a quantity of the current set forth in B4 can freely changed bychanging a film thickness ratio thereof.

(Feature: B18)

A feature is that when a voltage is used as an input signal applied togate 1, the magnitude of a constant voltage which is a non-vibrationcomponent of the input signal set forth in B2 is larger than theamplitude of an alternating voltage which is a vibration component ofthe input signal.

(Feature: B19)

A feature is that a quantity of a current flowing through the tunnelinsulating film set forth in B4 is adjusted by adjusting the magnitudeof the constant voltage set forth in B18.

(Feature: B20)

A feature is that the threshold vibration frequency set forth in B1 isadjusted by use of the magnitude of the constant voltage set forth inB18 in the structure set forth in B15.

(Feature: B21)

A feature is that the two terminal set forth in B8 has an elementstructure similar to that of an ordinary capacitor and a voltage is usedas the input signal set forth in B1, and a feature is that the voltageis applied to both electrodes of a capacitor to generate a potentialdifference, and a product obtained by multiplying an amplitude of thevibration component by the elementary charge is smaller than thepotential barrier set forth in B6, and the two terminal is conductivewhen a vibration frequency of the vibrating voltage component is largerthan the threshold vibration frequency set forth in B1 but is notconductive when a vibration frequency of the vibrating voltage componentis smaller than the threshold vibration frequency set forth in B1.

(Feature: B22)

A feature is that a current flowing a capacitor structure in itsconductive condition is alternating when a constant voltage component ofthe input voltage set forth in B1 is smaller than a vibrating voltagecomponent, and to the contrary, the current is direct when the constantvoltage component is lager than the vibrating voltage component.

(Feature: B23)

A feature is that the switching device set forth in B7 is constituted ofa MOS type BL tunnel element having a feature that the tunnel barrierset forth in B7 is a channel region of an n-MOS transistor and thetunnel barrier vibrates by a high frequency alternating voltage appliedto a gate and a tunnel current which is increased exponentially is BLtunnel current.

[Action and effect of the aspect B of the present invention]

Since BL tunneling is adopted as an operational principle, a vibrationfrequency threshold type switching element (BL tunnel element) which hasa margin in reliability of an insulating film can be realized. Besides,since an area occupied by one cell is equal to that of one gate contact,a switching element, which is finer than one conventionally available,can be formed and since a source/drain are not required, a diffusionstep for fabricating the source/drain is omitted. As a result, atwo-terminal and three-terminal switching devices can be fabricated withease. A threshold value can be selectively in advance in a step of afabrication process or can selectively be adjusted even in itsoperation.

[A constitution of an aspect C of the present invention]

(Feature: C1)

The aspect C has a feature that a read only memory device is constitutedby a switching device using a BL tunnel element instead of a switchingdevice using a MOS transistor.

(Feature: C2)

The read only memory device set forth in C1 has a feature that a switchinput to a wordline is an alternating current input to the tunnelelement set forth in C1, a threshold vibration frequency of the tunnelelement is present as a threshold value for a vibration frequency of aninput signal of the read-only memory device and an output current of theread only memory device can be controlled as an exponential function ofthe vibration frequency and the threshold value.

(Feature: C3)

A feature is that the threshold value set forth in C2 can selectively beset in advance in a step of a fabrication process based on a kind oftunnel insulating film, kinds of gate and substrate and the like used inthe tunnel element set forth in C1.

(Feature: C4)

The kind of the tunnel insulating film set forth in C3 is discriminatedby a fabrication process, a material, a film thickness, a shape, a kindof impurity and its quantity, and kinds of the gate and the substrateset forth in C3 can be discriminated by the kind of impurity, itsquantity, a fabrication process or the like.

(Feature: C5)

The read only memory device set forth in C1 has a feature that thedevice is a binary read only memory device utilizing whether an outputcurrent quantity set forth in C2 is finite or so small as can beneglected as outputs of 0 or 1. The device can be used as amultiple-valued (three or more-valued) read only memory device, whichuses the current quantity itself as an output, and with which the devicecan realize a multiple-valued output.

[Action and effect of the aspect C of the present invention]

The aspect C has merits that since a BL tunnel element is used, a readonly memory device using a quantum effect element can be realized, anexclusively used area for one cell is small, it is unnecessary tofabricate a source and drain, and the device can be operable with a lowelectric field and is advantageous in multiple-valued application.

[A constitution of an aspect D of the present invention]

(Feature: D1)

The aspect D is directed to a dynamic random access memory device, whichhas a feature that it does not use a MOS transistor and require nodiffusion layer in each cell and is constituted of a switching deviceusing a BL tunnel element instead of a switching device using a MOStransistor.

(Feature: D2)

The dynamic random access memory device set forth in D1 has a featurethat a switch input to a word line is an alternating input to the BLtunnel element set forth in D1, a threshold vibration frequency of thetunnel element is present as a threshold value for a vibration frequencyof an input signal of the dynamic random access memory device and anoutput of the dynamic random access memory device is controlled as anexponential function of the vibration frequency and the threshold value.

(Feature: D3)

A feature is that the threshold value set forth in D2 is selectively setin advance in a step of a fabrication process by a kind of a tunnelinsulating film or kinds of gate, substrate and the like used on thetunnel element set forth in D1.

(Feature: D4)

A feature is that a kind of the tunnel insulating film set forth in D3is discriminated by a fabrication process, a material, a film thickness,a shape, a kind of impurity and its quantity, and kinds of gate andsubstrate set forth in D3 are discriminated by a kind of impurity, itsquantity, a fabrication process or the like.

(Feature: D5)

A feature is that BL tunnel elements set forth in D1 have two kinds oftwo-terminal and three-terminal types and wordlines which areindependently controlled are respectively connected to the two kinds ofBL tunnel devices and the two kinds of BL transistors are used in onecell constituting the dynamic random access memory device set forth inD1 at the same time.

(Feature: D6)

A feature is that the dynamic random access memory device is constitutedof a three-terminal BL tunnel element set forth in D1 only.

[Action and effect of the aspect D of the present invention]

Since a BL tunnel element is used, a dynamic random access memory deviceusing a quantum effect element can be realized. Besides, the device hasadvantages that an exclusively used area for one cell is small, it isunnecessary to fabricate a source/drain and the device is operable at alow electric field and the like. Furthermore, the device can be formedin a layer stacked on an integrated circuit fabricated on a siliconsubstrate.

[A constitution of an aspect E of the present invention]

(Feature: E1)

The aspect E has a feature that a non-volatile memory device isconstituted of a switching device using a BL tunnel element instead of aswitching device using a MOS transistor.

(Feature: E2)

The non-volatile memory device set forth in E1 has a feature that aswitch input to a wordline is an alternating input to the tunnel elementset forth in E1, a threshold vibration frequency of the tunnel elementis present as a threshold value for a vibration frequency of an inputsignal of the non-volatile memory device and an output of thenon-volatile memory device can be controlled as an exponential functionof the vibration frequency and the threshold value.

(Feature: E3)

A feature is that the threshold value set froth in E2 can selectivelyset in advance in a step of a fabrication process by a kind of a tunnelfilm or kinds of gate and substrate and the like used in the tunnelelement set forth in E1.

(Feature: E4)

A feature is that a kind of the tunnel film set forth in E3 isdiscriminated by a fabrication process, a material, a film thickness, ashape, a kind of impurity and its quantity and kinds of gate andsubstrate set forth in E3 are discriminated by a kind of impurity, itsquantity, a fabrication process or the like.

(Feature: E5)

A feature is that the switching device used in the non volatile memorydevice set forth in E1 utilizes whether an output current quantity isfinite or so small as can be neglected as outputs of 0 or 1.

[Action and effect of the aspect E of the present invention]

Since a BL tunnel element is used, a non-volatile memory device using aquantum effect element can be realized. Moreover, since the device canbe operable at a low electric field, a problem of reliability of atunnel film can thoroughly be avoided.

[A constitution of an aspect F of the present invention]

(Feature: F1)

The aspect F has a feature that an analogue/digital conversion device isconstituted by converting an analogue input which is a combination of adirect current component and an alternating component to a digitalquantity consisting of 0 or 1.

(Feature: F2)

A feature is that the analogue/digital conversion device set forth in F1has a characteristic threshold value for an input frequency and isconstituted by use of a switching device comprising a BL tunnel elementwhich can flow a direct current when the input frequency is larger thanthe threshold value.

(Feature: F3)

A feature is that a length of a numeral sequence consisting of 0 or 1set forth in F1 is determined by the number of switching devices setforth in F2.

(Feature: F4)

A feature is that the switching device set forth in F2 has a tunnelfilm, the threshold value set forth in F2 is adjustable according to akind of the tunnel film and the threshold value can be controlled by thedirect current component set forth in F1.

(Feature: F5)

A feature is that a kind of the tunnel film set forth in F4 isdiscriminated by a film thickness, a material quality, a concentrationof impurity and its kind, and the like.

(Feature: F6)

A feature is that in the analogue/digital conversion device set forth inF1, plural switching devices set forth in F2 are used for one word, andthe length of a numeral sequence for one word set forth in F1 isdetermined by the number of the plural switching devices.

(Feature: F7)

A feature is that in the analogue/digital conversion device set forth inF1, alternating current components of inputs of the switching devicesset forth in F2 are in parallel connected, which is in the same way asthe case of inputs of an analogue/digital conversion device.

(Feature: F8)

A feature is that in the analogue/digital conversion device set forth inF1, a direct current component of an input applied to each switchingdevice within one word can be applied to each switching deviceindependently of the other switching devices.

(Feature: F9)

A feature is that the numeral 0 or 1 set forth in F1 is decided to betaken based on whether a direct current has flown or not in thedataline.

[Action and effect of the aspect F of the present invention]

Since a BL tunnel element is used, an analogue/digital conversion deviceusing a quantum effect can be realized. Besides, it is easier for thedevice to be in a layered manner formed on an integrated circuit formedon a silicon substrate.

[A constitution of an aspect G of the present invention]

(Feature: G1)

The aspect has a feature that a frequency counter device is constitutedwhich expresses an output by a numerical sequence consisting of 0 or 1for an input having a frequency, no matter whether the frequency isanalogue or digital.

(Feature: G2)

A feature is that the frequency counter device set forth in G1 has acharacteristic threshold value for an input frequency set forth in G1and uses a switching device comprising a BL tunnel element which makes adirect current flow when the input frequency is larger than thethreshold value.

(Feature: G3)

A feature is that a length of a numeral sequence consisting of 0 or 1set forth in G1 is determined by the number of switching devices setforth in G2.

(Feature: G4)

A feature is that the switching device set forth in G2 has a tunnel filmand the threshold value set forth in G2 is adjustable by a kind of thetunnel film.

(Feature: G5)

A feature is that the kind of the tunnel film set forth in F4 isdiscriminated by a film thickness, a quality of material, aconcentration of impurity, its kind and the like.

(Feature: G6)

A feature is that the frequency counter device set forth in G1 comprisesplural switching devices set forth in G2 and any two of the switchingdevices do not have the same threshold values.

(Feature: G7)

A feature is that in the frequency counter device set forth in G1,inputs of plural switching devices set forth in G2 are in parallelconnected, which is the same as the input of the frequency counterdevice. (Feature: G8)

A feature is that the switching device set forth in G2 is used as a highpass filter device.

[Action and effect of the aspect G of the present invention]

Since a BL element is used, a frequency counter device for a digitaloutput using a quantum effect can be realized.

[A constitution of an aspect H of the present invention]

(Feature: H1)

The aspect H is directed to a read only memory device using a MOS typeBL tunnel element and a feature is that a gate length of the MOS type BLtunnel element may be longer or shorter as compared with a channellength and the element is operable in a condition that an inversionlayer is not produced in a channel region. A current flowing in thechannel region is a BL tunnel current by BL tunneling and the BL tunnelcurrent is operable by an alternating current applied to the gate.

(Feature: H2)

A feature is that in the read only memory device set forth in H1, aswitching input to a word line is an alternating input to the MOS typeBL tunnel element set forth in H1, a threshold vibration frequency ofthe MOS type BL tunnel element is present as a threshold value for avibration frequency of an input signal of the read only memory deviceand an output current quantity of the read only memory device can becontrolled as an exponential function of the vibration frequency and thethreshold value.

(Feature: H3)

A feature is that the threshold value set forth in H2 is selectively setin advance in a step of a fabrication process by a kind of an insulatingfilm, a gate length, a channel length, kinds of gate and substrate andthe like used in the MOS type BL tunnel element set forth in H1.

(Feature: H4)

A feature is that a kind of the insulating film set forth in H3 can bediscriminated by a fabrication process, material, a film thickness, ashape, a kind of impurity and its quantity, and kinds of gate andsubstrate set forth in H3 can be discriminated by a kind of impurity andits quantity, a fabrication process and the like.

(Feature: H5)

A feature is that the read only memory device set forth in H1 is abinary read only memory device utilizing whether an output currentquantity set forth in H2 is finite or so small as can be neglected asoutputs of 0 or 1. The device can be used as a read only memory device,which uses the current quantity itself as an output, and which canrealize a multiple-valued (three or more-valued) output.

[Action and effect of the aspect H of the present invention]

Since a MOS type BL tunnel element is used, a read only memory deviceusing a quantum effect element can be realized. Besides, since aninversion layer is not used, the device can be operable in a lowelectric field and a margin in reliability of an insulating film arises.Moreover, since a current quantity can be adjusted in a manner of anexponential function, the device has an advantage in use as amultiple-valued device.

[A constitution of an aspect I of the present invention]

(Feature: I1)

The aspect I is directed to a dynamical random access memory deviceusing a MOS type BL tunnel element, and a feature is that a gate lengthof the MOS type BL tunnel element may be longer or shorter as comparedwith a channel length, and that the element is operable in a conditionthat an inversion layer is not produced in a channel region. A currentflowing in the channel region is a BL tunnel current by BL tunneling andthe BL tunnel current is operable by an alternating voltage applied tothe gate.

(Feature: I2)

A feature is that in the dynamical random access memory device set forthin I1, a switch input to a word line is an alternating input to the MOStype BL transistor set forth in I1, a threshold vibration frequency ofthe tunnel element is present as a threshold value for a vibrationfrequency of an input signal of the dynamical random access memorydevice and an output of the dynamical random memory device is controlledas an exponential function of the vibration frequency and the thresholdvalue.

(Feature: I3)

A feature is that the threshold value set forth in I2 is selectively setin advance in a step of a fabrication process by a kind of an insulatingfilm, a gate length, a channel length, kinds of gate and substrate andthe like used in the MOS type BL tunnel element set forth in I1.

(Feature: I4)

A feature is that a kind of the insulating film set forth in I3 can bediscriminated by a fabrication process, material, a film thickness, ashape, a kind of impurity and its quantity and kinds of gate andsubstrate set forth in I3 can be discriminated by a shape, a kind ofimpurity, its quantity, a fabrication process or the like.

(Feature: I5)

A feature is that the MOS type BL tunnel element set forth in I1 is athree-terminal element comprising a source and drain made of n⁺ diffusedregions formed in the substrate, and a gate applied with an alternatingcurrent voltage which is an input from the wordline set forth in I2, andthe source and drain are respectively connected to a ground line or adata line with a capacitor lying therebetween.

[Action and effect of the aspect I of the present invention]

Since a MOS type BL tunnel element is used, a dynamical random accessmemory device using a quantum effect element can be realized. Besides,since an inversion layer is not used, the memory device can be operablein a low electric field and a margin in reliability of an insulatingfilm arises.

[A constitution of an aspect J of the present invention]

(Feature: J1)

The aspect J has a feature is that an analogue/digital conversion deviceis constituted which outputs an digital quantity after an analogue inputwhich is a combination of a direct current component and an alternatingcomponent is converted to the digital quantity consisting of 0 or 1.

(Feature: J2)

A feature is that the analogue/digital conversion device set forth in J1has a characteristic threshold value for a vibration frequency of aninput alternating current voltage and uses a MOS type BL tunnel elementas a switching device in which element a direct current flows betweendiffused layers when an input vibration frequency is larger than thethreshold value.

(Feature: J3)

A feature is that in the analogue/digital conversion device set forth inJ1, a length of a numeral sequence consisting of 0 or 1 set forth in J1is determined by the number of MOS type BL tunnel elements set forth inJ2.

(Feature: J4)

A feature is that in the analogue/digital conversion device set forth inJ1, the threshold value set forth in J2 is set in advance in a step of afabrication process by adjusting an internal variable of the MOS type BLtunnel element set forth in J3 or it can be set by adjusting a directcurrent voltage of an input set forth in J1 while the tunnel element isin operation.

(Feature: J5)

A feature is that the internal variable of the MOS type BL tunnelelement set forth in J4 is: a kind or a concentration of impurity indiffused layers; a kind or a concentration of impurity in a channelregion; a material quality or a thickness of an insulating film; a kindor a concentration of impurity in the insulating film; a material of, ora kind or a concentration of impurity of a gate electrode; or the like.

(Feature: J6)

A feature is that in the analogue/digital conversion device set forth inJ1, the direct current input voltage set forth in J1 is controlled byuse of a data line control device, the alternating input voltage setforth in J1 is controlled by use of a wordline control device, thewordline is connected to the gate of the MOS type BL tunnel element setforth in J2 and the data line is connected to a diffused layer of theMOS type BL tunnel element set forth in J2.

(Feature: J7)

A feature is that in the analogue/digital conversion device set forth inJ1, plural switching devices set forth in J2 are used for one word and alength of a numeral sequence of one word set forth in J1 is determinedby the number of the plural switching devices.

(Feature: J8)

A feature is that in the analogue/digital conversion device set forth inJ1, an alternating current component of an input of the switching deviceset forth in J2 is in parallel connected, which is in the same way asthe case of an input of an analogue/digital conversion device.

(Feature: J9)

A feature is that in the analogue/digital conversion device set forth inJ1, the direct current component of an input applied to each switchingdevice within one word can be applied to each switching deviceindependently of the other switching devices by use of the data linecontrol device set forth in J6.

(Feature: J10)

A feature is that in the analogue/digital conversion device set forth inJ1, the numeral 0 or 1 set forth in J1 is decided to be taken based onwhether a direct current has flown or not in the dataline.

[Action and effect of the aspect J of the present invention]

Since a MOS type BL tunnel element is used, an analog/digital conversiondevice using a quantum effect can be realized.

[A constitution of an aspect K of the present invention]

(Feature: K1)

The aspect K has a feature that a frequency counter device isconstituted which expresses an output as a numerical sequence consistingof 0 or 1 for an input having a frequency, no matter whether thefrequency is analogue or digital.

(Feature: K2)

A feature is that the frequency counter device set forth in K1 has acharacteristic threshold value for an input frequency and uses as aswitching device a MOS type BL tunnel element which flows a directcurrent when the input frequency is larger than the threshold value.

(Feature: K3)

A feature is that in the frequency counter device set forth in K1, thelength of a numeral sequence consisting of 0 or 1 set forth in G1 isdetermined by the number of switching devices set forth in K2.

(Feature: K4)

A feature is that in the frequency counter device set forth in K1, thethreshold value set forth in K2 is a threshold vibration frequency ofthe MOS type BL tunnel element set forth in K2 and the thresholdvibration frequency can be set in advance in a step of a fabricationprocess by an internal variable of the MOS type BL tunnel element.

(Feature: K5)

A feature is that the internal variable of the MOS type BL tunnelelement set forth in K4 is: a kind or a concentration of impurity in adiffused layer; a kind or a concentration of impurity in a channelregion; a material quality or a thickness of an insulating film; a kindor a concentration of impurity in the insulating film; a material of, ora kind or a concentration of impurity of a gate electrode, or the like.

(Feature: K6)

A feature is that the frequency counter device set forth in K1 comprisesplural switching devices set forth in K2 and any two of switchingdevices do not have the same threshold values.

(Feature: K7)

A feature is that in the frequency counter device set forth in K1,inputs of plural switching devices set forth in K2 are in parallelconnected, which is the same as the case of inputs of the frequencycounter device.

(Feature: K8)

A high pass filter device may be constituted by use of the switchingdevice set forth in K2.

[Action and effect of the aspect K of the present invention]

Since a BL element is used, a frequency counter device and a high passfilter for a digital output using a quantum effect can be realized.

[A constitution of an aspect L of the present invention]

(Feature: L1)

The aspect L has a feature that a super high frequency oscillatingdevice and an optical signal/electric signal conversion device areconstituted by used of a photon type quantum exchange switching device.

(Feature: L2)

A feature is that the photon type quantum exchange switching device setforth in L1 increases a tunnel current exponentially by a tunnelingelectrons absorbing a photon released from light passing through a lightwaveguide while a very small current by direct tunneling is made to flowin such a manner that the current traverses the light wave guide.

(Feature: L3)

A feature is that the super high frequency oscillating device and theoptical signal/electric signal conversion device set forth in L1comprise plural photon type quantum exchange switching device set forthin L2 in parallel arranged to one light waveguide, and outputs an outputcurrent which is the sum of tunnel currents from the respectiveswitching devices.

(Feature: L4)

A feature is that in the super high frequency oscillating device and theoptical signal/electric signal conversion device set forth in L1, a waveform of an output current can be adjusted by adjusting a velocity oflight propagating through the guide, a distance between cells, a shapeof an electrode of each cell, a sign and magnitude of a voltage appliedto each cell to directly make a tunnel current flow, and the like.

(Feature: L5)

A feature is that in the super high frequency oscillating device and theoptical signal/electric signal conversion device set forth in L1, a timerequired for light to pass through between cells is larger as comparedwith a time required for an increased current in each cell to berecognized as an output.

(Feature: L6)

A feature is that the optical signal/electric signal conversion deviceset forth in L1 is to make sequence of time intervals in continuousrelease of light correspond to a wave form of a tunnel current as anoutput, the wave form comprises peaks having several kinds of magnitudecorresponding to the sequence and the peaks of different magnitudes arepresent in the wave form in the number corresponding to the sequence.

[Action and effect of the aspect L of the present invention]

Since a photon type quantum exchange switching device whose operationalprinciple is energy quantum absorption of a tunneling electron is used,a super high frequency oscillating device and an optical signal/electricsignal conversion device can be realized.

[A constitution of an aspect M of the present invention]

(Feature: M1)

The aspect M is directed to a semiconductor composite substrate havingplural kinds of semiconductor region which are respectively differentfrom each other or one another in material, surface orientation,molecular structure and the like, and the semiconductor regions areformed on one wafer and separated by a substrate isolation region.

(Feature: M2)

A feature is that in the semiconductor composite substrate set forth inM1, semiconductor devices which have functions respectively suitable forthe semiconductor regions in regard to material or the like areintegrated in the respective semiconductor regions.

(Feature: M3)

A feature is that more than two or more kinds of semiconductor regionset forth in M1 provided in semiconductor composite chips cut out fromthe semiconductor composite substrate set forth in M1 and semiconductordevices suitable for the materials of semiconductor regions in a chip isrespectively integrated in the semiconductor regions.

(Feature: M4)

A feature is that in the semiconductor composite chips set forth in M3,semiconductor devices which respectively achieve advantages bycharacteristics of semiconductor materials used in semiconductor regionsare respectively fabricated in the semiconductor regions andsemiconductor devices respectively fabricated in semiconductor regionsare associated with each other or one another through a connectiondevice on a semiconductor composite chip or provided in the outside andthus a highly functional integrated circuit which operates in the wholesemiconductor composite chip as one chip can be fabricated.

(Feature: M5)

A feature is that when the semiconductor composite substrate set forthin M1 comprises silicon, GaAs and a substrate isolation region, asemiconductor device which is advantageously made by GaAs, such as ahigh frequency device, an optical device and the like are fabricated ina GaAs region, a semiconductor device which is advantageously made bysilicon, such as a memory device, a logic device and the like arefabricated in a silicon region, signals between both regions are sent orreceived through a connection device set forth in M4 and functions ofboth regions are controlled in an integrated manner, whereby a highlyfunctional integrated circuit is realized in the whole of thesemiconductor composite chip set forth in M3.

(Feature: M6)

A feature is that a functional device using a BL tunnel element isformed on the silicon substrate set forth in M5, when a high frequencyof about 10 GHz or higher is required as an input of the BL tunnelelement, a high frequency functional device set forth in M5 forfunctionally controlling high frequency is fabricated on a GaAssubstrate, signals between functional devices on both substrates aresent or received through the connection device set in M4 and bothfunctions are integrally controlled, whereby a highly functionalintegrated circuit is realized in the whole of the semiconductorcomposite chip as one semiconductor device.

[Action and effect of the aspect M of the present invention]

Since a semiconductor composite substrate is used, plural kinds ofsemiconductor materials which are respectively different from each otheror one another in characteristics can be used in one chip and thereby ahigh functionality integrated circuit can be realized. Besides, in thecase where a composite substrate comprising silicon and GaAs, a highfrequency device, an optical device and the like are fabricated in aGaAs region and a memory device, a logic device and the like arefabricated in a silicon region and a high functionality integratedcircuit can thus be attained by association between both devices.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectsand advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means ofthe instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments ofthe invention, and together with the general description given above andthe detailed description of the preferred embodiments give below, serveto explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a constitution of a light illumination typequantum switching device according to the aspect A of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a graph showing electric characteristics of a lightillumination type quantum switching device according to the aspect A ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a quantum switching device using one opticalfiber according to the aspect A of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a quantum switching device using pluraloptical fibers according to the aspect A of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a structure in section of a MOS type BLtunnel element according to the aspect B of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a structure in section of a MOS type BLtunnel element according to the aspect B of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an energy band structure of a tunnel barrieraccording to the aspect B of the present invention;

FIGS. 8A to 8C are representations illustrating an oscillating mechanismof a tunnel barrier according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a principle of BL tunneling according to theaspect B of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a graph showing current vs. ω characteristics of BL tunnelingaccording to the aspect B of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a graph showing current vs. voltage characteristics of BLtunneling according to the aspect B of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is an equivalent circuit diagram showing a constitution of athree-terminal BL tunnel element according to the aspect B of thepresent invention;

FIG. 13 is an equivalent circuit diagram showing a constitution of atwo-terminal BL tunnel element according to the aspect B of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 14A to 14C is a band diagram of a three-terminal BL tunnel elementaccording to the aspect B of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of a cell of a three-terminal BL tunnelelement according to the aspect B of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view of a cell of a three-terminal BL tunnelelement according to the aspect B of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a plan view of cells corresponding to a constitution of FIG.16 according to the aspect B of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a band diagram of a two-terminal BL tunnel element accordingto the aspect B of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view of a cell of a two-terminal BL tunnelelement according to the aspect B of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a plan view of cells corresponding to a constitution of FIG.19 according to the aspect B of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a band diagram of a BL tunnel element according to the aspectC of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a sectional view of a structure of a cell of a firstembodiment of a read only memory device according to the aspect C of thepresent invention;

FIG. 23 is a plan view of cells according to a structure of FIG. 22according to the aspect C of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a circuit constitution of a read onlymemory device according to the aspect C of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a sectional view of a structure of a cell of a secondembodiment of a read only memory device according to the aspect C of thepresent invention;

FIG. 26 is a plan view of cells according to a structure of FIG. 25according to the aspect C of the present invention;

FIG. 27 is a sectional view of a structure of a cell of a thirdembodiment of a read only memory device according to the aspect C of thepresent invention;

FIG. 28 is a sectional view of a structure of a cell of a fourthembodiment of a read only memory device according to the aspect C of thepresent invention;

FIG. 29 is a band diagram of a two-terminal BL tunnel element accordingto the aspect D of the present invention;

FIG. 30 is a diagram showing a two-terminal BL tunnel element as acircuit according to the aspect D of the present invention;

FIG. 31 is a band diagram of a three-terminal NAND type BL tunnelelement according to the aspect D of the present invention;

FIG. 32 is a diagram showing a three-terminal BL tunnel element as acircuit according to the aspect D of the present invention;

FIG. 33 is a diagram of a circuit constitution of a dynamical randomaccess memory according to the aspect D of the present invention;

FIG. 34 is a sectional view of a structure of a dynamical random accessmemory device according to the aspect D of the present invention;

FIG. 35 is a sectional view of a structure of a dynamical random accessmemory device according to the aspect D of the present invention;

FIG. 36 is a sectional view of a structure of a dynamical random accessmemory device according to the aspect D of the present invention;

FIG. 37 is a sectional view of a structure of a dynamical random accessmemory device according to the aspect D of the present invention;

FIG. 38 is a diagram of a circuit constitution of a dynamical randomaccess memory comprising three-terminal BL tunnel elements onlyaccording to the aspect D of the present invention;

FIG. 39 is a sectional view of a structure of a dynamical random accessmemory comprising three-terminal NAND type BL tunnel elements onlyaccording to the aspect D of the present invention;

FIG. 40 is a representation illustrating a principle of a non-volatilememory device by BL tunneling according to the aspect E of the presentinvention;

FIG. 41 is a sectional view of a structure of a cell of a firstembodiment according to the aspect E of the present invention;

FIG. 42 is a sectional view of a structure of a cell of a secondembodiment according to the aspect E of the present invention;

FIG. 43 is a diagram of a circuit constitution of the first and secondembodiments according to the aspect E of the present invention;

FIGS. 44A and 44B are sectional views of a structure of a cell of athird embodiment according to the aspect E of the present invention;

FIG. 45 is a diagram of a circuit constitution of the third to sixthembodiments according to the aspect E of the present invention;

FIG. 46 is a plan view of cells according to a structure of the thirdand fourth embodiments according to the aspect E of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 47A and 47B are sectional views of a structure of a cell of thefourth embodiment according to the aspect E of the present invention;

FIGS. 48A and 48B are sectional views of a structure of a cell of afifth embodiment according to the aspect E of the present invention;

FIG. 49 is a plan view of a structure of the fifth and sixth embodimentsaccording to the aspect E of the present invention;

FIGS. 50A and 50B are sectional views of a structure of a cell of thesixth embodiment according to the aspect E of the present invention;

FIG. 51 is a representation showing a principle of a BL tunnel elementused in an analogue/digital conversion device according to the aspect Fof the present invention;

FIG. 52 is a representation showing a principle of an analogue/digitalconversion device using a BL tunnel element according to the aspect F ofthe present invention;

FIG. 53 is a sectional view of a structure of an element of a firstembodiment according to the aspect F of the present invention;

FIG. 54 is a sectional view of a structure of an element of a secondembodiment according to the aspect F of the present invention;

FIG. 55 is a sectional view of a structure of an element of a thirdembodiment according to the aspect F of the present invention;

FIG. 56 is a sectional view of a structure of an element of a fourthembodiment according to the aspect F of the present invention;

FIG. 57 is a band diagram of a two-terminal BL tunnel element used in afrequency counter device according to the aspect G of the presentinvention;

FIG. 58 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a two-terminal BL tunnelelement used in a frequency counter device according to the aspect G ofthe present invention;

FIG. 59 is a diagram of a circuit constitution of a frequency counterdevice using a two-terminal BL tunnel element according to the aspect Gof the present invention;

FIG. 60 is a band diagram of a three-terminal BL tunnel element used ina frequency counter device according to the aspect G of the presentinvention;

FIG. 61 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a three-terminal BL tunnelelement used in a frequency counter device according to the aspect G ofthe present invention;

FIG. 62 is a diagram showing a constitution of a frequency counterdevice using a three-terminal BL tunnel element according to the aspectG of the present invention;

FIG. 63 is a plan view of constitution of an element of a firstembodiments according to the aspect G of the present invention;

FIG. 64 is a sectional view of a structure of an element of the firstembodiment according to the aspect G of the present invention;

FIG. 65 is a plan view of constitution of an element of a secondembodiment according to the aspect G of the present invention;

FIG. 66 is a sectional view of a structure of an element of the secondembodiment according to the aspect G of the present invention;

FIG. 67 is a sectional view of a structure of an element of the secondembodiment according to the aspect G of the present invention;

FIG. 68 is a plan view of constitution of an element of a thirdembodiment according to the aspect G of the present invention;

FIG. 69 is a sectional view of a structure of an element of the thirdembodiment according to the aspect G of the present invention;

FIG. 70 is a plan view showing constitution of an element of a fourthembodiment according to the aspect G of the present invention;

FIG. 71 is a sectional view of a structure of an element of the fourthembodiment according to the aspect G of the present invention;

FIG. 72 is a sectional view of a structure of an element of the fourthembodiment according to the aspect G of the present invention;

FIG. 73 is a sectional view of a structure of an element of a fifthembodiment according to the aspect G of the present invention;

FIG. 74 is a sectional view of a structure of an element of a sixthembodiment according to the aspect G of the present invention;

FIG. 75 is a sectional view of a structure of an element of a seventhembodiment according to the aspect G of the present invention;

FIG. 76 is a sectional view of a structure of an element of an eighthembodiment according to the aspect G of the present invention;

FIG. 77 is a sectional view of a structure of a cell of a MOS type BLtunnel element used in a read only memory device according to the aspectH of the present invention;

FIG. 78 is a diagram of a circuit constitution of a read only memorydevice using a MOS type BL tunnel element according to the aspect H ofthe present invention;

FIG. 79 is a view showing an example of structure in the case of abinary read only memory device using a MOS type BL tunnel element usedaccording to the aspect H of the present invention;

FIG. 80 is a sectional view showing a structure of a dynamical randomaccess memory device using a MOS type BL tunnel element according to theaspect I of the present invention;

FIG. 81 is a diagram of a circuit constitution of a dynamical randomaccess memory device using a MOS type BL tunnel element according to theaspect I of the present invention;

FIG. 82 is a diagram of a circuit constitution of a MOS type BL tunnelelement used in an analogue/digital conversion device according to theaspect J of the present invention;

FIG. 83 is a graph showing electric characteristics of a MOS type BLtunnel element according to the aspect J of the present invention;

FIG. 84 is a diagram of a circuit constitution of an analogue/digitalconversion device using a MOS type BL tunnel element according to theaspect J of the present invention;

FIG. 85 is a plan view showing a structure of an analogue/digitalconversion device using a MOS type BL tunnel element according to theaspect J of the present invention;

FIG. 86 is a sectional view showing a structure of an analogue/digitalconversion device using a MOS type BL tunnel element according to theaspect J of the present invention;

FIG. 87 is a plan view showing a structure of a frequency counter deviceusing a MOS type BL tunnel element according to the aspect K of thepresent invent ion;

FIG. 88 is a sectional view showing a structure of a frequency counterdevice using a MOS type BL tunnel element according to the aspect K ofthe present invention;

FIG. 89 is a diagram of a circuit constitution of a frequency counterdevice using a MOS type BL tunnel element according to the aspect K ofthe present invention;

FIG. 90 is a diagram showing a constitution of an opticalsignal/electric signal conversion device and a super high frequencyoscillating device according to the aspect L of the present invention;

FIG. 91 is a diagram showing a wave form showing an output according tothe aspect L of the present invention;

FIG. 92 is a diagram showing an output wave form when a large peak doesnot arise according to the aspect L of the present invention;

FIGS. 93A to 93C are diagrams showing output wave forms when a largepeak arises by superposition according to the aspect L of the presentinvention;

FIG. 94 is a view showing a structure of a semiconductor composite wafercomprising two kinds of semiconductor according to the aspect M of thepresent invention;

FIG. 95 is a diagram showing a way of producing a chip by cutting asemiconductor composite wafer according to the aspect M of the presentinvention;

FIG. 96 is a diagram showing a step of a manufacturing process of asemiconductor composite wafer according to the aspect M of the presentinvention;

FIG. 97 is a diagram showing a step of a manufacturing process of asemiconductor composite wafer according to the aspect M of the presentinvention;

FIG. 98 is a diagram showing a step of a manufacturing process of asemiconductor composite wafer according to the aspect M of the presentinvention;

FIG. 99 is a diagram showing a step of a manufacturing process of asemiconductor composite wafer according to the aspect M of the presentinvention;

FIG. 100 is a diagram showing a step of a manufacturing process of asemiconductor composite wafer according to the aspect M of the presentinvention;

FIG. 101 is a diagram showing a step of a manufacturing process of asemiconductor composite wafer according to the aspect M of the presentinvention;

FIG. 102 is a diagram showing a step of a manufacturing process of asemiconductor composite wafer according to the aspect M of the presentinvention;

FIG. 103 is a diagram showing a step of a manufacturing process of asemiconductor composite wafer according to the aspect M of the presentinvention;

FIG. 104 is a diagram showing a step of a manufacturing process of asemiconductor composite wafer according to the aspect M of the presentinvention;

FIG. 105 is a diagram showing a step of a manufacturing process of asemiconductor composite wafer according to the aspect M of the presentinvention.

FIG. 106 is a diagram showing a step of a manufacturing process of asemiconductor composite wafer according to the aspect M of the presentinvention;

FIG. 107 is a sectional view partly showing a structure of a highfunctionality integrated circuit fabricated on a semiconductor compositesubstrate according to the aspect M of the present invention; and

FIG. 108 is a diagram showing an overall structure of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the aspect A to M of the present invention will bedescribed below. First of all, the general structure of the aspect A toM is explained using a tree of FIG. 108. The aspect A relates to QuantumExchange Type Switching Device 1000. The aspects B, C, D, E, F, G, and Krelates to BL Tunnel Type Device 1100, the aspects H, I and J to MOSType BL Tunnel Device 1111, the aspect L to Photon Exchange Type Device1200, and the aspect M to Semiconductor Composite Substrate 1300. The BLTunnel Type Device 1100 includes Three Terminal Type Device 1110 and TwoTerminal Type Device 1120. The Three Terminal Type Device includes MOSType Device 1111 and NAND Type Device 1112.

[Embodiment of the aspect A of the present invention]

A fundamental constitution of the aspect A of the present invention willfirst described.

The aspect A is directed to an absolutely new type of a quantumswitching element using a quantum exchange effect in order to realize asuper fine switching element used in a semiconductor device or the like.As element materials, while the element can be constituted by use ofcompound semiconductor, materials which are currently used in thesemiconductor industry are sufficient for production of the element andminimum requirements are a silicon substrate, a silicon oxide film,polysilicon, materials for an electrode, impurities such as arsenic,bromine, phosphorus. An oscillating circuit to produce an input signalis used together in order to directly operate switching. As desiredembodiments, the following examples will be shown.

A thin film made of a material which has a high electric insulatingproperty and a good optical transmittance is used as a tunnel film, bothends of the thin film is fast held by electrodes which are electricallyindependent of each other and a low electric field is applied. Thetunnel film is directly connected to a light control device and lightproduced by the device exchanges a photon for a tunneling electronpassing between the electrodes in the bulk of the tunnel film. At thispoint, a tunneling electron which has absorbed a photon from lightincreases a tunneling probability exponentially and an increased currentis resulted to flow. In such a manner, a quantity of a tunnel current iscontrolled by light, which can be used as a switching device, aphotoelectric conversion device or a super high frequency oscillatingdevice.

If light (a stream of photons ω(ω=hν)) passing through the tunnel film,or energy excitation caused by a high frequency vibration of a tunnelbarrier itself (ω: a quantum corresponding to the vibration at avibration frequency ω) is absorbed by a tunneling electron as a quantum,the tunnel current is increased exponentially. When such a quantum isabsorbed, the tunnel current increases by a factor of exp [2ω/ω_(o) ]according to the following equation: ##EQU2## where m is an effectivemass, T_(ox) is a tunnel film thickness, U(x) is a potential of thetunnel film and E is energy which a tunneling electron has at x=0 beforeit enters the tunnel film.

The above mentioned quantum may be any kind other than light and energyexcitation, which have been described above, as far as it can beabsorbed by a tunneling electron.

Embodiments of the aspect A of the present invention will be describedin reference to the accompanying drawings below.

First, a first embodiment will be described. In FIG. 1, an example inthe case where a tunneling electron absorbs a photon is shown. In theexample, a thin film 11 (tunnel film) is fast held by two electrodes 12and fabricated with a material having a high optical transmittance and ahigh insulating property (quartz glass, soda lime glass, boro-silicateglass, flint glass, organic glass and the like) so that a refractiveindex thereof is smaller on the electrode sides and connected to a lightcontrol device 13. A lower voltage (enough at 1V or lower) is applied inadvance between the two electrodes 12, which are to be a source anddrain (S·D) and when light is irradiated on a tunnel electron from thelight control device 13, a tunneling probability is increasedexponentially, so that a tunnel current flows between the source anddrain. In FIG. 2, a current flowing between a source and drain whenlight is irradiated from time t₀ to t₁ is shown.

The second embodiment will be described. In FIG. 3 and others, examplesof structure are shown, and an optical fiber 11a is used instead of thetunnel film which has been shown in the first embodiment. A refractiveindex in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the optical fiber 11a isdesigned to be smaller than that in the interior. As shown in FIG. 3, asingle optical fiber is enough, but plural optical fibers may be used ina bundled form, as is shown in FIG. 4.

[Embodiment of the aspect B of the present invention]

A fundamental constitution of the aspect B of the present invention willfirst be described.

The aspect B is directed to a new type of quantum switching elementutilizing a BL tunneling to realize a super fine switching element usedin a semiconductor device or the like. As element materials, while theelement can be constituted by use of compound semiconductor, materialswhich are currently used in the semiconductor industry are sufficientfor production of the element and minimum requirements are a siliconsubstrate, a silicon oxide film, polysilicon, materials for anelectrode, impurities such as arsenic, bromine, phosphorus. Anoscillating circuit to produce an input signal is used together in orderto directly operate switching. As desired embodiments, the followingexamples will be shown.

(a) An ordinary capacitor structure is provided and a voltage applied totwo terminals is composed of an alternating current component and adirect current component and either of both can freely adjusted as aninput and electrons passing through an insulating film of the capacitorby a BL tunnel effect is output as an output current.

(b) Two gates which are covered by an insulating film are provided on asilicon substrate, a total of three terminal are formed in combinationof the two gates and the substrate, an input voltage is applied to agate on the substrate side, an alternating current and direct currentcomponents are operated to adjust a current passing through aninsulating film caused by a BL tunnel effect and the current is outputas an output.

(c) A feature is that a structure similar to an ordinary n MOStransistor is given and especially a high impurity concentrationdiffused layer is used as a source/drain, and a potential barrier ofseveral hundreds of meV of a channel region is used as a tunnel barrier.A high frequency alternating current voltage is applied to a gate andthereby electrons in the high impurity concentration diffused layerflows through the channel region by a BL tunnel effect and as a result acurrent is made to flow between the source and drain.

A BL tunnel effect arising when a potential barrier of an insulatingfilm is periodically vibrated is utilized and thereby a switching deviceoperable even in a very low electric field is realized. In FIG. 9, aprinciple of BL tunneling is shown. In the figure, a potential barriersatisfies the following equation:

    U=U0+U1 cos ωt

and periodically vibrates in conditions of a frequency of (ω/2π), and anamplitude of U1. In this case, when the following relation is met, whichis:

    U1<<ω<<U0-E

the following equation is further established ##EQU3## and if ω islarger than a threshold vibration frequency ω_(T), a current flows by BLtunneling and if ω is smaller than the threshold vibration frequencyω_(T), the current does not flow.

Voltage vs. ω characteristics and current vs. voltage characteristicsare respectively shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. In FIG. 10, a gradient is2/ω_(o). Circuit diagrams of a vibration frequency threshold typeswitching element (BL tunnel element) are respectively shown in FIGS. 12and 13. States in which a BL tunnel element is conductive or not arecontrolled based on a vibration frequency from an oscillating device OS,wherein a state in which a current flows or the element is conductive isindicated by ON and a state in which a current does not flow or theelement is not conductive is indicated by OFF. In either of bothcircuits, an input is an alternating current voltage, a relation ofω>ω_(T) is used as ON and a relation of ω<ω_(T) is used as OFF with thevibration frequency ω as a parameter. FIG. 12 corresponds to the case ofthe three-terminal element and in the case of ON, a current flows if apotential difference between terminals T2 and T3 is present, whichassumes "1" but if a potential difference is not present, a current doesnot flow, which assumes "0." In the case of OFF, no current flows, nomatter whether a potential difference is present or not, which assumes"0." FIG. 13 corresponds to the case of a two-terminal element and inthe case of ON, a current flows with no reservation, which assumes "1"and in the case of OFF, no current flows, which assumes "0." In FIG. 13,if V is sufficiently small, a current flowing between terminals T1 andT2 is an alternating current with a vibration frequency ω and to thecontrary, if V is large, a current is direct.

Embodiments of the aspect B of the present invention will be describedin reference to the accompanying drawings.

A first embodiment (three-terminal NAND type BL tunnel element) willfirst be described.

A band structure of a BL tunnel element having three terminals is shownin FIG. 14 and sectional views of the element are shown in FIGS. 15 and16. In FIGS. 14A to 14C, a gate G1 is selectively applied with a bias V0in advance. If the gate G1 or a gate G2 is applied with V1 cos ωt, aFermi surface of the gate G1 vibrates in conditions of a frequency ω andan amplitude eV1. The vibration affects a conduction band of an oxidefilm so as to be periodically shaken, BL tunneling is caused at ω>ω_(T),in the cases of (a) and (b) a current flows between the substrate andthe gate G1 or the gates G1 and G2 and in the case of (c) a current flows between the substrate and the gate G2.

In FIG. 15, an example of a cell to realize the band structure is shown.The gates G1 and G2 are independently provided with respective contactsand an alternating current voltage as an input signal is applied to thegate G1, which corresponds to FIGS. 14A and 14B. V0 is applied from T2,which corresponds to FIGS. 14A to 14C.

In FIG. 16, a second example of a cell in which the band structure isrealized is shown. In the example, a gate G1 is, in advance, patternedas a fine wire which extends in a direction perpendicular to the sheetsurface on which the figure is shown, and the wire is used as aninterconnect without any additional processing. A gate G2 is made ofpolysilicon which is an underlayer of a contact. In this method, an areaexclusively occupied by one cell is determined by an area required forthe contact and a source and drain are not included, whereby such astructure is suitable for a higher integration. While it is notproblematic that a substrate contact SB is fabricated on a upper surfaceof a substrate as shown in the figure, the contact can be provided on alower surface thereof.

In FIG. 17, a view of cells as seen from above the cells is shown. Thesectional view shown in FIG. 16 is that taken along a dotted line inFIG. 17. It is known that in such a structure, ω_(T) is proportional toa reciprocal number of a value of the following expression: ##EQU4##

U_(FB) is a flat band potential and signs±attached before that isselected so that in the case where V0=0, a plus sign is used if abarrier on the cathode side is higher, whereas a minus sign is used ifthe barrier is lower. In addition, x is a distance from a boundary onthe cathode side, T_(ox) is a thickness of a tunnel insulating film, eis an elementary charge of an electron, m is an effective mass of atunneling electron. The ω_(T) can be adjusted by V0, but it isselectively set in advance by a film thickness, a height of a barrierand a material quality of an insulating film, and among others, kinds ofa gate and a substrate, an effective mass of a tunneling electron andthe like as well.

A second embodiment (a BL tunnel element having a two terminalstructure) will be described.

A band diagram of a BL tunnel element having a two terminal structure isshown in FIG. 18. A voltage V0 is applied in advance and an alternatingcurrent voltage V1 cos ωt as shown in FIG. 13 is applied in addition tothe voltage V0. Definitions of V0, V1, ω and ω_(T) are the same as thoseas described above (the first embodiment) and an operation is similar tothat as described above. A substrate and the like may be used as a gateG1 or a gate G2 and a structure of an element itself is similar toconventional capacitor. In FIG. 19, an example of a sectional view of acell structure is shown. In the example, an area occupied by one unitcell is determined by that of a gate contact. A substrate contact SB canbe provided on a lower surface of a substrate. FIG. 20 is a view ofcells each of which corresponds to the sectional view of FIG. 19 a sseen from above the cells and a sectional view taken along a dotted linecorresponds to that of FIG. 19.

A third embodiment will be described. In FIGS. 5 and 6, sectional viewsof a MOS type BL tunnel element are shown. A source (S) and drain (D)are doped to be n⁺ (even if p⁺, a principle is held in the same way) anda potential on a dotted line is shown in FIG. 7. It is a feature thatthe magnitude of a height of a barrier Ec(^(i)) is proportional to avoltage V_(G) of a gate G. If a high frequency alternating currentvoltage VG=V1 cos ωt is applied to a gate, the barrier height Ec(^(i))oscillates at a high frequency as shown in FIG. 8 and electrons passesthrough a dotted line portion of FIGS. 5 and 6 by BL tunneling. In thiscase, |V1| may be as small as an inversion layer is not produced. A gatelength may be longer or shorter as compared with a channel length, FIG.5 corresponds to the case of being shorter and FIG. 6 corresponds to thecase of being longer.

[Embodiment of the aspect C of the present invention]

A fundamental constitution of the aspect C of the present invention willfirst be described.

The aspect C is directed to a new type of a read only memory deviceusing a BL tunnel element which utilizes a BL tunnel effect. As formaterials of the element, those described in the aspects A and B of thepresent invention are applied to the aspect C. An oscillating circuit toproduce an input signal is used together in order to directly operateswitching. As desired embodiments, the followings are shown.

Two gates covered by an insulating film are provided on a siliconsubstrate, three terminal are provided in combination of the two gatesand the substrate, an input voltage composed of a direct current and analternating current is applied by use of a gate on the substrate side asa wordline, and a current by electrons which effect BL tunneling of aninsulating film is adjusted by operating the alternating currentcomponent and the direct current component for an output.

The BL tunnel element of the above constitution has a thresholdvibration frequency ω_(T). When a vibration frequency ω of analternating current of an input is larger than the threshold vibrationfrequency ω_(T) (ω>ω_(T)), a tunneling probability increasesexponentially and a tunnel current can be operated by use of thisnature. A band diagram based on such a structure is shown in FIG. 21. Apotential difference is provided between the gate 2 and substrate andelectrons can pass from G2 to the substrate when the vibration frequencyof an alternating current applied to a gate G1 is lager (ω>ωT) andelectrons do not pass through when the vibration frequency thereof issmaller (ω<ωT). An increment in current between the substrate and gate 2by the BL tunneling is read by use of a sense amplifier. Since theincrement in current can be controlled by use of fator 2ω/ω_(o), theelement is suitable for a multiple-valued application.

Embodiments of the aspect C of the present invention will below bedescribed in reference to the accompanying drawings.

A first embodiment will first be described.

FIG. 22 is a sectional view of a cell in the case where a BL tunnelelement is used in a read only memory device. A gate G1 is a fine wiremade of polysilicon, silicon or a metal extending in a directionperpendicular to the sheet surface on which the figure is drawn and analternating current voltage (V1 cos ωt) is applied to the wire as aninput. A potential differential is added between a contact connected tothe gate 2 and a contact connected to the Si substrate. A current flowsin an insulating film (SiO₂) interposing between the gates G1 and G2,and in an insulating film (SiO₂) interposing between the gate 1 andsubstrate by BL tunneling if an input vibration frequency is in excessof a threshold value. In the embodiment, the threshold value can be setin advance in a step of a fabrication process based on the thickness ofan insulating film between the gates G1 and G2. In the case where twovalues of 1 and 0 are used, only two kinds of thickness are used as inthe embodiment. In order to simplify a fabrication process, cellthickness between gate 1 and the substrate have a constant value.

A fabrication method for a read only memory device having this cellstructure will be described. A thin oxide film is formed by thermallyoxidizing a substrate having a n⁺ well fabricated so as to have a largearea, a mask is provided on the n⁺ well and a fine wire made ofpolysilicon, silicon or a metal, which works as a gate G1, is formed.Then a CVD film is formed, a mask is provided thereon and a gate 2 ofpolysilicon is selectively formed. The gate 2 has the shape of a dot andthe area of the dot automatically defines an area occupied by one cell.The size of a dot must be so small that the dot does not bestride aspace between fine wires formed as a gate G1. In other words, a distancebetween adjacent fine wires must be so large that a charge is notexchanged between the adjacent fine wires or between a fine wire and adot adjacent thereto. A CVD film is again formed, a mask is providedthereon, a cell which has not been selected by the previous mask isselected and polysilicon in the shape of a dot is formed. Thereafter, aCVD film is further again formed, a mask which selects all the cells isprovided, gate contacts respectively having two kinds of depths areselectively formed and a dataline DL is formed thereon.

A plan view of a read only memory device fabricated in such a manner asseen from above the device is shown in FIG. 23. A sectional view takenalong a dotted line in FIG. 23 corresponds to the sectional view of FIG.22. In this case, a modification is possible that a p-type substrate isused, the same structure is employed and the type of a gate G1 or a gateG2 is selectively changed to adjust a threshold value. In that case,even when all the cells each have an oxide film of the same thickness, aread only memory device with a similar function can be fabricated. Whilein the embodiment, there are employed two kinds of thickness of an oxidefilm between gates G1 and G2, only an oxide film having a smallerthickness is allowed to be thinner than that of a thermal oxide filmformed between the substrate and a gate G1. In addition, it is possiblethat an impurity and a defect can selectively be added to an oxide filmto selectively adjust a threshold value. The above mentioned oxide filmcan be replaced with nitride film or an insulating film of the otherkind.

In FIG. 24, a circuit diagram is shown. In an actual operation, if avibrating voltage is applied only to a wordline selected by a rowdecoder R/D, a current flows only in a dataline connected to a cell in aconductive condition and the current is read by a sense amplifier S/A.

A second embodiment will be described.

A sectional view of a cell of the second embodiment is shown in FIG. 25.A gate G1 is a fine wire made of polysilicon, silicon or a metalextending in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the sheet onwhich the figure is shown and an alternating voltage (V1 cos ωt) as aninput. A potential difference is given between a contact connected to agate 2 and a contact connected to an Si substrate. A current flows inboth an insulating film (SiN) lying between gates G1 and G2 and aninsulating film (SiO₂) lying between a gate 1 and a substrate by BLtunneling if an input vibration frequency is increased beyond athreshold value. In the embodiment, a threshold value can be set inadvance in a step of a fabrication process according to a kind of aninsulating film between gates G1 and G2. In the case where a two value0/1 system is employed, the number of kinds of insulating film islimited to two as in this embodiment.

A fabrication method for a read only memory device having this cellstructure will be described. A thin oxide film is formed by thermallyoxidizing a substrate having a n⁺ well fabricated so as to have a largearea, a mask is provided on the n⁺ well and a fine wire made ofpolysilicon, silicon or a metal, which works as a gate G1, is formed.Then a CVD film is formed, a mask is provided thereon and a hole isselectively formed above polysilicon. This hole is formed so as to belocated on the fine wire already fabricated. A nitride film in the shapeof a dot is deposited in the hole. The size of the dot automaticallydetermines an area occupied by one cell. The size of the dot must be sosmall that the dot does not bestride a space between fine wires formedas a gate G1. In other words, a distance between adjacent fine wiresmust be so large that a charge is not exchanged between the adjacentfine wires or between a fine wire and a dot adjacent thereto. Parallelfine wires made of polysilicon, silicon or a metal are formed as gatesG2 in such a manner that the parallel fine wires orthogonally intersecta fine wire of a gate G1. At this time, the parallel fine wires arearranged so that each dot already formed is partly enclosed by twoorthogonal fine wires, of one of the parallel fine wires and one of finewires of gate G1. In fabrication of dots, an oxide film between anot-selected gate G1 and a gate G2 works as a tunnel insulating film anda tunnel insulating film between a selected gate G1 and a gate G2 ismade of a nitride film. In the final step, a CVD film is formed on agate G2. In such a manner, a threshold value can selectively be setaccording to a kind of insulating film.

In FIG. 26, a view of the cells as seen from above the cells is shown. Asectional view taken along a dotted line in the figure is FIG. 25. Acell is fabricated at an intersection of a dataline DL and a wordline WLand a cell indicated by a mesh is one in which a nitride film is used.

A circuit diagram is similar to that of FIG. 24 and if a vibratingvoltage is applied only to a wordline selected by a row decoder, acurrent flows only in a dataline DL connected to a cell in a conductivecondition and the current is read by a sense amplifier S/A.

A third embodiment will be described.

A sectional view of a cell of this embodiment (a multiple-valued readonly memory) is shown in FIG. 27. A gate G1 is a fine wire made ofpolysilicon, silicon or a metal extending in a direction perpendicularto the surface of the sheet on which the figure is shown and analternating voltage (V1 cos ωt) as an input is applied to the fine wire.A potential difference is given between a contact connected to a gate G2and a contact connected to a substrate. A current flows both in aninsulating film lying between gates G1 and G2 and in an insulating filmlying between a gate G1 and a substrate by BL tunneling if an inputvibration frequency is increased beyond a threshold value. In theembodiment, a threshold value can be set in advance in a step of afabrication process according to a thickness of an insulating filmbetween gates G1 and G2. In the case where a three value 0/1/2 system isemployed, the number of kinds of insulating film is limited to three asin this embodiment. In the case of an N-value system, the number ofkinds of thickness are only required to expand to N. The cells each havethe same thickness between a gate G1 and the substrate.

A fabrication process for a read only memory device having this cellstructure will be described. The following description is an expansionof the description of the first embodiment so as to be adaptive to athree-value system. In the case of an N-value system, a description of afabrication process of a read only memory device can be formulated byexpanding the description of the first embodiment in a similar way tothis case. A thin oxide film is formed by thermally oxidizing asubstrate having a n⁺ well fabricated so as to have a large area, a maskis provided on the n⁺ well and a fine wire made of polysilicon, siliconor a metal, which works as a gate G1, is formed. Then a CVD film isformed, a mask is provided thereon and a gate G2 of polysilicon isselectively formed. A gate G2 has the shape of a dot. A size of the dotmust be so small that the dot does not bestride a space between finewires formed as a gate. In other words, a distance between adjacent finewires must be so large that a charge is not exchanged between theadjacent fine wires or between a fine wire and a dot adjacent thereto. ACVD film is again formed, a mask is provided thereon, a cell is selectedamong cells which have not selected by a previous mask, polysilicon inthe shape of a dot is formed. Thereafter a CVD film is again formedthereon, a mask which selects all the cells which have not been selectedis provided and polysilicon in the shape of a dot is formed. In such amanner, gate contacts respectively having three kinds of depth areselectively formed and a dataline DL is formed thereon.

A plan view of a read only memory device fabricated in such a manner asseen from above the device is shown in FIG. 23 in a similar way to thecase of a binary system (the first embodiment). A sectional view takenalong a dotted line in FIG. 23 corresponds to the sectional view of FIG.27. In this case, a modification is possible in a manner such that ap-type substrate is used, that the same structure is employed, and thata type of a gate G1 or a gate G2 is selectively changed to adjust athreshold value. Furthermore, even when all the cells each have an oxidefilm of the same thickness or they have oxide films of two differentthickness, a read only memory device with a similar function can befabricated. While in the embodiment, there are employed three kinds ofthickness of an oxide film between gates G1 and G2, only an oxide filmhaving the smallest thickness is allowed to be thinner than that of athermal oxide film formed between the substrate and a gate G1. Inaddition, it is possible that an impurity and a defect can selectivelybe added to an oxide film to selectively adjust a threshold value.

A circuit diagram is shown in FIG. 24. If a vibrating voltage is givenonly to a wordline selected by a row decoder, a current flows only to adataline connected to a cell in a conductive condition and the currentis read by a sense amplifier S/A. In the case where a system is operatedwith three or more values, as in the case of the embodiment, a currentquantity is used as a memory.

A fourth embodiment will be described.

A sectional view of a cell of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 28. Agate G1 is a fine wire made of polysilicon, silicon or a metal extendingin a direction perpendicular to the surface of the sheet on which thefigure is shown and an alternating current voltage (V1 cos ωt) as aninput. A potential difference is given between a contact connected to agate G2 and a contact connected to a Si substrate. A current flows inboth an insulating film lying between gates G1 and G2 and an insulatingfilm lying between a gate G1 and a substrate by BL tunneling if an inputvibration frequency is increased beyond a threshold value. In theembodiment, a threshold value can be set in advance in a step of afabrication process according to a kind of insulating film and athickness of an insulating film between gates G1 and G2. In theembodiment, three values consisting of 0/1/2 can be adopted by acombination of a nitride film and oxide films having two kinds ofthickness.

A fabrication process for a read only memory device having this cellstructure will be described. A thin oxide film is formed by thermallyoxidizing a substrate having a n⁺ well fabricated so as to have a largearea, a mask is provided on the n⁺ well and a fine wire made ofpolysilicon, silicon or a metal, which works as a gate G1, is formed.Then a CVD film is formed, a mask is provided thereon and a hole isselectively formed in polysilicon. This hole is formed so as to belocated above the fine wire already fabricated. A nitride film in theshape of a dot is deposited in the hole. The size of the dot must be sosmall that the dot does not bestride a space between fine wires formedas a gate. In other words, a distance between adjacent fine wires mustbe so large that a charge is not exchanged between the adjacent finewires or between a fine wire and a dot adjacent thereto. A mask isprovided on the film and polysilicon corresponding to a gate G2 isformed. A gate G2 is further selectively formed among cells which havenot been selected in this step. A CVD film is further again formed, amask is provided and a gate G2 is formed in the cells which have so farbeen left without being selected. In the final step, parallel fine wiresmade of polysilicon, silicon or a metal are formed in such a manner thatthe parallel fine wires orthogonally intersect a fine wire of a gate G1.At this time, the parallel fine wires are arranged so that dots alreadyformed are respectively partly enclosed by two orthogonal fine wires, ofone of the parallel fine wires and one of fine wires of gate G1. Infabrication of dots for the first time, oxide films of two kindsdifferent in thickness each between a not-selected gate G1 and a gate G2work as a tunnel insulating film. A tunnel insulating film between aselected gate G1 and a gate G2 is made of a thin nitride film. In such amanner, a threshold value can selectively be set according to acombination of a kind and thickness of insulating film. A four or morevalued read only memory device can be fabricated in a similar way.

A circuit diagram is the same as that of FIG. 24. If a vibrating voltageis given only on a wordline WL selected by a row decoder, a currentflows only in a dataline connected to a cell in a conductive conditionand the current is read by a sense amplifier. In the case where a threeor more valued device is operated as in the embodiment, a currentquantity is used as a memory.

[Embodiment of the aspect D of the present invention]

A fundamental constitution of the aspect D of the present invention willfirst be described.

The aspect D is directed to a new type of a dynamical random accessmemory device using a BL tunnel element which utilizes a BL tunneleffect. As for materials of the element, those described in the aspectsA and B of the present invention are applied to the aspect D. Anoscillating circuit to produce an input signal is used together in orderto directly operate switching. As desired embodiments, the followingsare shown.

(a) One two terminal BL tunnel element and one three terminal BL tunnelelement are used in each cell and wordlines are divided into two kinds.A floating gate is formed under each of the wordlines with a tunnel filmand an insulating film interposing therebetween. Besides, the floatinggate forms a capacitor between the gate and a plate electrode.Furthermore, a dataline is formed under the floating gate with a tunnelfilm interposing therebetween.

(b) Only a three terminal BL tunnel element is used and a nitride filmas a tunnel film is formed in the vicinity of an intersection of awordline and a dataline and a gate capacitor is formed on the film.

A BL tunnel element constitutes a part of the above mentioned structurehas a threshold vibration frequency ω_(T) which can be adjusted based ona structure of an insulating film. If a vibration frequency ω of analternating current as an input is larger than the threshold value(ω>ω_(T)), a tunneling probability is increased exponentially, while ifthe vibration frequency of an alternating current is smaller than thethreshold value, the tunneling probability is kept to be small. Aconnection between a dataline and a capacitor, and a charge exchangebetween a wordline and the capacitor are controlled by use of thisnature.

As for a BL tunnel element, there are a two-terminal element and athree-terminal element. In FIG. 29, a band diagram of a two-terminal BLtunnel element is shown and in FIG. 30, a diagram showing a two-terminalBL tunnel element as a circuit is shown. A voltage V0+V1 cos ωt isapplied between terminals T1 and T2 and a current is made to flow (theON state) or not to flow (the OFF state) between both electrodesaccording to whether ω is larger or smaller than ω_(T). The direction ofa current flow is controlled by a sign of V0.

FIG. 31 shows a band diagram of a three-terminal-NAND type BL tunnelelement and FIG. 32 shows a diagram showing a three-terminal BL tunnelelement as a circuit. There are provided two kinds of insulating films,which are different in height of a barrier. An insulating film with alower barrier is used as a tunnel film and sandwiched by terminals T1and T2, while the other insulating film with a higher barrier issandwiched by terminals T2 and T3. A voltage V1 cos ωt is applied to theterminal T3 and controls ON/OFF of the terminals T1 and T2 by operatinga magnitude of ω. Besides, V0 is applied one of the three terminals andthe direction of a current which flows between the terminals T1 and T2in the ON condition is controlled by the sign of V0.

FIG. 33 shows a circuit diagram of a dynamical random access memoryusing a BL tunnel element. A two-terminal BL tunnel element is providedbetween a wordline WL1 and a capacitor and an electrode connecting thecapacitor and a terminal of the BL tunnel element is a floating gate FG.The floating gate FG and a dataline DL are respectively connected to theterminals T1 and T2 of the three-terminal BL tunnel element. Theremaining terminal T3 is connected to a wordline WL2.

A high frequency is first applied to the wordline WL1, a two terminal BLtunnel element is made to be in the ON state and a charge is injected tothe capacitor. Whether positive or negative is controlled by the sign ofV0, and write/erase operations are conducted by this operation. Thenapplication of the high frequency to the wordline is ceased and the twoterminal BL tunnel element is made to be in the OFF state. A highfrequency is applied to the wordline WL2 and the three terminal BLtunnel element is made to assume the ON state between the terminals T1and T2 thereof. At this time, the potential of the wordline DL ischanged by a charge of the capacitor. The change is only required to beread by a sense amplifier.

Even when only a three-terminal BL tunnel element is used, a dynamicalrandom access memory device can be constituted and a circuit in the caseis shown in FIG. 38. Switching by a BL tunnel element between a datalineDL and a capacitor is controlled by a wordline WL and a charge quantitystored in the capacitor is controlled or read by use of a datalinecontrol device in the state of ON.

Embodiments of the aspect D of the present invention will be describedbelow.

A first embodiment will first be described. FIGS. 34 to 36 showsectional views of the embodiment. In the embodiment, a tunnel filmusing a nitride film is sandwiched between a wordline WL1 and a floatinggate FG to form a two-terminal BL tunnel element. An oxide film isinserted between a wordline WL2 and the floating gate FG for insulationand a tunnel film using a nitride film is sandwiched by the dataline DLand the floating gate FG. That is, a three-terminal NAND type BL tunnelelement is constructed in a stacking structure with the dataline DL, anitride film, a floating gate FL, an insulating oxide film, a wordlineWL2. A contact is formed on the floating gate and a capacitor is formedbetween a plate electrode and the gate. An integrated circuit is alreadyfabricated on a silicon substrate and a dynamical random access memorydevice can also be fabricated on an oxide film which is used as acoating formed on the integrated circuit.

A second embodiment will be described. In FIG. 37, a sectional view ofthe embodiment is shown. In the embodiment, a tunnel film using anitride film is sandwiched by a wordline WL1 and a floating gate FG toform a two-terminal BL tunnel element. An oxide film is inserted betweena wordline WL2 and the floating gate FG for insulation and a tunnel filmusing a nitride film is sandwiched by a dataline DL fabricated as anarrow, long diffused layer in a silicon substrate and the floating gateFG. That is, a three-terminal NAND type BL tunnel element is formed in astacking structure with a dataline DL, a nitride film, a floating gateFG, an insulating oxide film and a wordline WL2. A contact is formed onthe floating gate and a capacitor is formed between a plate electrodeand the gate.

A third embodiment will be described. A sectional view of the embodimentis shown in FIG. 39. In the embodiment, since only a three-terminal BLtunnel element is used, wordlines WL are those of one kind. A datalineDL is formed above a wordline WL formed in or on a substrate with anoxide film as an insulating film interposing therebetween in a mannersuch that the dataline intersects the wordline orthogonally. A nitridefilm (SiN) as a tunnel film is formed on the dataline, and gates like amatrix are formed on the nitride film. A plate is further formed on thegates with an insulating film (SiO₂) inserted in order to stack acapacitor.

[Embodiment of the aspect E of the present invention]

A fundamental constitution of the aspect E of the present invention willfirst be described.

The aspect E is directed to a new type of a non-volatile semiconductormemory device, which utilizes a BL tunnel effect, and which has a lowelectric field injection as an operational principle. As for materialsof the element, those described in the aspects A and B of the presentinvention are applied to the aspect E. An oscillating circuit to producean input signal is used together in order to directly operate switching.As desired embodiments, the followings are shown.

(a) A structure is provided that a floating gate is provided above asilicon substrate with an insulating film interposing therebetween and acontrol gate is formed above the floating gate with an oxide filminterposing therebetween. The floating gate has a feature that itexchanges a charge with a diffusion layer in the substrate by BLtunneling, and BL tunneling is controlled by a voltage applied to thecontrol gate or the substrate. A nitride film is used as a BL tunnelfilm between the diffused layer and the floating gate.

(b) A structure is provided that a floating gate is provided above asilicon substrate with an insulating film interposing therebetween and acontrol gate is formed above the floating gate with an oxide filminterposing therebetween. The floating gate has a feature that itexchanges a charge with a channel region in the substrate by BLtunneling and BL tunneling is controlled by a voltage applied to thecontrol gate or the substrate. A nitride film is used as a BL tunnelfilm between the channel region and the floating gate.

(c) A structure is provided that a floating gate is provided above asilicon substrate with an insulating film and a control gate is formedabove the floating gate with an oxide film interposing therebetween. Thefloating gate has a feature that it exchanges a charge with a controlgate by BL tunneling. BL tunneling is controlled by a voltage applied tothe control gate or the substrate. A nitride film is used as a BL tunnelfilm between the control gate and the floating gate.

The above mentioned structure has a threshold vibration frequency ω_(T)which is adjustable based on a kind of a BL tunnel element shown in FIG.40 and if a vibration frequency ω of an alternating current voltage(V0+V1 cos ωt) applied to a substrate or a control gate is larger thanthe threshold value (ω>ω_(T)), a tunneling probability is increasedexponentially, and to the contrary, if the vibration frequency of analternating current voltage is smaller than the threshold value, thetunneling probability is kept small without any change. By use of thenature, the floating gate exchanges a charge with the substrate or thecontrol gate when ω>ω_(T), while the floating gate does not exchange itwhen ω<ω_(T). What is especially remarkable is that even when themaximum value of a potential difference applied between both ends of aBL tunnel film by an alternating voltage is lower than 0.1V, an exchangeof a charge is possible as far as ω>ω_(T). For this reason, a BL tunnelfilm gives birth to neither breakdown nor stress leakage and therefore,a problem relating to reliability of an insulating film can basically beavoided.

Embodiments of the aspect E of the present invention will be described.

A first embodiment will first be described. A sectional view of a cellin the case where a BL tunnel element is used as a non-volatilesemiconductor memory device is shown in FIG. 41. In the embodiment, anitride film as a BL tunnel film is used between a drain and a floatinggate FG. A control gate CG is connected to a wordline WL and the drainis connected to a dataline DL. In utilization for write, a vibrationfrequency of an alternating voltage applied to the wordline is set in arelation of ω>ω_(T), a negative direct current voltage (V0<0) is givento the dataline and electrons are injected to the floating gate from adrain region. In utilization for erase, electrons are drawn out from thefloating gate to the drain in condition of ω>ω_(T) and V0>0. In such amanner as mentioned above, the quantity of charges in the floating gateis controlled and a threshold voltage for a current flowing between asource and a drain is controlled. In utilization for read, a directcurrent voltage V2 is applied to the wordline and it is discriminated bya sense amplifier in a dataline control device whether or not a currentflows between the source and drain. At this point, if V2 is larger thanthe threshold voltage, a current flows between the source and drain andif V2 is smaller, the current does not flow. A circuit constitution ofthe embodiment is shown in FIG. 43.

A second embodiment will be described. A sectional view of a cell in theembodiment is shown in FIG. 42. In the embodiment, while a nitride filmas a BL tunnel film is formed across a channel region so as to coverpart of diffused layers, an operation similar to the first embodimentcan be obtained by connecting a dataline to a drain.

A third embodiment will be described. In FIG. 44A, a sectional view of acell is shown. A nitride film as a BL tunnel film is formed on a channelregion of a substrate and a charge is exchanged between a floating gateand the channel region by BL tunneling to control a threshold voltage.In the embodiment, it is necessary that a MOS transistor connecting thewordline is used together, and two kinds of wordline (DL1, DL2) arenecessary as is shown in FIG. 44B. The wordline WL and the dataline DL 1are respectively connected to the drain and gate of the MOS transistor.The source of the MOS transistor is connected to a control gate CG andwhen a voltage applied to the dataline DL1 is larger than a thresholdvoltage of the MOS transistor, an alternating current voltage (V0+V1 cosωt) applied to the wordline WL0 is applied to the control gate CG. Tothe contrary, when the voltage applied to the dataline DL1 is smallerthan the threshold voltage, the control gate CG and the wordline WL arecut off. When a vibration frequency of an alternating voltage is largerthan a threshold vibration frequency (ω>ω_(T)) and V0>0, electrons areinjected from the channel region to the floating gate FG by BL tunnelingand a write state is assumed. To the contrary, if V0<0, an erase stateis assumed. The source and drain of FIG. 44A are respectively connectedto a ground line GL and the dataline DL2. A read state is realized insuch a manner that a voltage higher than a threshold voltage of the MOStransistor is applied on the dataline DL and a proper direct currentvoltage is applied on the wordline WL and it is read by a senseamplifier in a dataline 2 control (see FIG. 45) whether or not a currentflows in the dataline DL2. In FIG. 46, a view of the structure of FIGS.44A and 44B as seen from thereabove is shown. A sectional view takenalong a broken line corresponds to FIGS. 44A and 44B. FIG. 45 is a viewshowing a circuit constitution corresponding to the embodiment.

A fourth embodiment will be described. FIGS. 47A and 47B show sectionalviews of a cell. A nitride film as a BL tunnel film is fabricatedbetween a control gate CG and a floating gate FG as is in the embodimentand a charge is exchanged between both gates by BL tunneling and therebya non-volatile memory device having a similar function to the thirdembodiment can be realized.

A fifth embodiment will be described. The MOS transistor used in thethird embodiment can be transformed so as to have a stacking structureby use of an SOI technique. A sectional view of a cell of the embodimentis shown in FIGS. 48A and 48B. FIG. 49 is a view of the structure ofFIGS. 48A and 48B as seen from thereabove and a sectional view takenalong a broken line corresponds to FIGS. 48A and 48B. A circuitconstitution is similar to that of FIG. 45.

A sixth embodiment will be described. A MOS transistor used in thefourth embodiment can be transformed so as to have a stacking structureby use of the SOI technique. A sectional view of a cell is shown inFIGS. 50A and 50B. FIG. 49 is a view of the structure of FIGS. 50A and50B as seen from thereabove and a sectional view taken along a brokenline corresponds to that of FIGS. 50A and 50B. A circuit constitution issimilar to that of FIG. 45.

[Embodiment of the aspect F of the present invention]

A fundamental constitution of the aspect F of the present invention willfirst be described.

The aspect F is directed to a new type of a semiconductoranalogue/digital conversion device, which comprises plural switchingdevices using BL tunneling as an operational principle, and which has afeature that plural switching devices are used for one word. Asmaterials of the element, those described in the aspects A and B of thepresent invention are applied to the aspect F. As desired embodiments,the followings are shown.

In FIG. 51, an operational principle of a BL tunnel element is shown.The BL tunnel element has a threshold vibration frequency ω_(T) as athreshold value for an alternating current input. When an alternatingcurrent voltage with a vibration frequency ω as an input is applied, adirect current is made to flow if ω>ω_(T) ("1", or a state that analternating current is not made to flow) and a direct current is notmade to flow if ω<ω_(T) ("0", or a state that an alternating current ismade to flow). As shown in FIG. 51, when a voltages V0, V1 are applied,a threshold vibration frequency ω_(T) is controlled so that thefrequency is proportional to a value obtained by the followingexpression:

    [φ.sub.B -e(V0+V1)].sup.1/2

where φ_(B) is a height of a potential barrier of a tunnel film presentin the BL tunnel element.

In FIG. 52, an analogue/digital conversion device constructed with theBL tunnel elements which are in parallel connected is shown. A BL tunnelelement which is used herein may be either of a two terminal type and athree terminal type. The BL tunnel elements respectively have thresholdvibration frequencies ω₁, ω₂, ω₃, ω₄, . . . , ω_(N) and thresholdvibration frequencies can independently be controlled by adjusting V1 ofFIG. 51 by use of a dataline control device 62.

The case where N=2 will be considered. When ω₁ <ω₂, an input signal ωsatisfies one of conditions of ω<ω₁, ω₁ <ω<ω₂, ω₂ <ω. In this case, anoutput is (00) if ω<ω₁, an output is (10) if ω₁ <ω<ω₂, and an output is(11) if ω₂ <ω. When ω₁ >ω₂, an output is (01) if ω₁ >ω>ω₂. In such amanner, converted digital information pieces of (00), (01), (10), (11)can be obtained by use of the analogue/digital conversion device. Ingeneral, a combination of N analogue quantities (ω and (N-1) V1s) isconverted to 2^(N) digital information pieces (0/1 sequence).

Embodiments of the aspect of F of the present invention will bedescribed.

A first embodiment will first be described. A sectional viewillustrating the embodiment is shown in FIG. 53. Narrow, long diffusedlayers are formed in a substrate to provide parallel fine wires asdatalines DL are fabricated. An oxide film as an insulating film isformed on the fine wires and a wordline WL is formed so that itintersects the parallel fine wires orthogonally. A nitride film as atunnel film is formed at a point where a wordline WL and a dataline DLintersect in a vertically spaced manner.

A second embodiment will be described. A sectional view illustrating theembodiment is shown in FIG. 54. Parallel fine wires as datalines DL areformed in an oxide film and a wordline WL is formed so as to intersectthe parallel fine lines orthogonally. A nitride film as a tunnel film isformed at a point where a dataline DL and a wordline WL intersect in avertically spaced manner. In the embodiment, it is shown that a D/Aconversion device can be formed on an oxide film which is fabricated forcoating an integrated circuit formed on a silicon substrate.

A third embodiment will be described. A sectional view illustrating theembodiment is shown in FIG. 55. A wordline WL is formed in an oxide filmand parallel fine wires as datalines DL are formed so as to intersectthe wordline WL orthogonally. A nitride film as a tunnel film is formedat a point where a dataline DL and a wordline WL intersect in avertically spaced manner. In the embodiment, it is shown that a D/Aconversion device can be formed on an oxide film which is fabricated forcoating an integrated circuit formed on a silicon substrate.

A fourth embodiment will be described. A sectional view illustrating theembodiment is shown in FIG. 56. A narrow, long diffused layer is formedas a wordline WL in a substrate. An oxide film as insulating film isformed on the wordline and parallel fine lines as a dataline DL areformed thereon. A nitride film as a tunnel film is formed at a pointwhere a dataline DL and a wordline WL intersect in a vertically spacedmanner.

A fabrication process for the nitride film is similar to that describedin the aspect C of the present invention and thus description thereon isomitted.

[Embodiment of the aspect G of the present invention]

A fundamental constitution of the aspect G of the present invention willfirst be described.

The aspect G is directed to a new type of a semiconductor frequencycounter device having a feature to use plural switching devices using BLtunneling as an operational principle. As materials of the element,those described in the aspects A and B of the present invention areapplied to the aspect G. As desired embodiments, the followings areshown.

(a) A high frequency voltage is applied to gates provided at both endsof a tunnel film. A wordline and a dataline are respectively connectedto the gates which are located on both side of the tunnel film. Acorresponding band diagram is shown FIG. 57, a two-terminal BL tunnelelement thus realized is shown in FIG. 58 and a frequency counter deviceusing this BL tunnel element is shown in FIG. 59.

(b) A sandwich structure is provided in which two tunnel films, threegate electrodes are stacked, a wordline is connected to a central gate,and a dataline and a ground line are respectively connected to the outertwo electrodes. A corresponding band diagram is shown in FIG. 60, acircuit diagram of a three terminal BL tunnel element realized by thestructure is shown in FIG. 61 and a frequency counter device using theBL tunnel element is shown in FIG. 62.

A BL tunnel element has a threshold value ω_(T) which can be adjustedbased on a kind of BL tunnel element and if a vibration frequency ω ofan alternating voltage (V1 cos ωt) of an input applied on a wordline islarger than the threshold value ω_(T) (ω>ω_(T)), a tunneling probabilityis increased exponentially and to the contrary, if the vibrationfrequency ω of an alternating current voltage is smaller, a tunnelingprobability is kept small without any change.

A high pass filter can be realized by use of only a single BL tunnelelement as shown in FIGS. 58, 61. That is, a direct current flows in thetunnel film if ω>ω_(T) and a direct current does not flow in the tunnelfilm if ω<ω_(T). The direct current is detected by a sense amplifier and"1" is given when a direct current flows and "0" is given when a directcurrent does not flow.

As shown in FIGS. 59 and 62, N BL tunnel elements which respectivelyhave different threshold values (ω₁ <ω₂ <ω₃ <ω₄ < . . . <ω_(N)) arearranged in order and connected to wordlines WL. Herein, if an inputsatisfies the relation ω_(n) <ω<ω_(n+1), an output comprises a sequencein which the left first to the left nth digits assume "1" only and theleft n+1th digit and therefrom through the right end digit assume only"0", that is, a sequence of (111 . . . 1000 . . . 0) is obtained. If thenumber of BL tunnel elements is sufficiently increased and thedifference between ω_(n) and ω_(n+1) is reduced, a frequency can becounted with good accuracy.

Embodiments of the aspect of G of the present invention will bedescribed.

A first embodiment will first be described. FIG. 63 is a view of afrequency counter device as seen from thereabove, and a sectional viewtaken along a dotted line of FIG. 63 is FIG. 64. Two-terminal BL tunnelelements are respectively formed in correspondence to tunnel filmsincluding an impurity each provided at an intersection of a wordline anda dataline, one element on one tunnel film. Threshold values areindividually adjusted for each element by changing a quantity of animpurity and a kind thereof.

A second embodiment will be described. FIG. 65 is a view of a frequencycounter device as see from thereabove and a sectional views taken alonga dotted line of FIG. 65 are FIGS. 66 and 67. A narrow, long diffusedlayer is formed in a substrate as a dataline DL and wordlines WL areformed on the diffused layer in such a manner that a tunnel film and anelectrode MT like a matrix are sandwiched by a wordline WL and adataline DL, so that two-terminal BL tunnel elements are fabricated inrespective cells, one element in one cell. An oxide film is used as atunnel film and a thickness of the oxide film is changed by utilizingthe electrodes like a matrix to adjust a threshold.

A third embodiment will be described. FIG. 68 is a view of a frequencycounter device as seen from thereabove and a sectional view taken alonga dotted line is FIG. 69. Two-terminal BL tunnel elements arerespectively formed corresponding to tunnel films including an impurityprovided at intersections of wordlines WL and datalines DL, one elementon one nitride film. Threshold values of respective elements areadjusted by changing a quantity and kind of an impurity for theelements.

A fourth embodiment will be described. FIG. 70 is a view of a frequencycounter device as seen from thereabove and a sectional view taken alonga dotted line is FIGS. 71 and 72. A narrow, long diffused layer isformed in a substrate as a wordline WL and a dataline is formed on thediffused layer in such a manner that a tunnel film and electrodes MT aresandwiched by a dataline DL and a wordline WL and two terminal BL tunnelelements each are formed in respective cells, one element in one cell.An oxide film is used as a tunnel film and a thickness of the oxide filmis changed by an electrode MT like a matrix to adjust a threshold value.

A fifth embodiment will be described. A sectional view of a frequencycounter device is shown in FIG. 73. A diffused layer is formed as aground line GR in a substrate and a stacking structure composing of atunnel film, a wordline WL, a tunnel film and a dataline DL is formed onthe diffused layer. In such a manner, a three-terminal BL tunnel elementis formed and a threshold value is adjusted by changing a quantity orkind of an impurity in a tunnel film.

A sixth embodiment will be described. A sectional view of a frequencycounter device is shown in FIG. 74. A narrow, long diffused layer isformed in a substrate as a dataline DL and a stacking structure composedof a tunnel film, a wordline WL, a tunnel film and a ground line GL isformed on the dataline DL. In such a manner, three-terminal BL tunnelelements are formed in respective cells and a threshold value isadjusted by changing a quantity or kind of an impurity in a tunnel film.

A seventh embodiment will be described. A sectional view of a frequencycounter device is shown in FIG. 75. A narrow, long diffused layer isformed in a substrate as a ground line GL and a stacking structureconstructed with a tunnel film, a wordline WL, a tunnel film and adataline DL is formed on the ground line GL. In such a manner,three-terminal BL tunnel elements are formed in respective cells and athreshold value is adjusted by changing a thickness of a tunnel film byan electrode like a matrix.

A eighth embodiment will be described. A sectional view of a frequencycounter device is shown in FIG. 76. A narrow, long diffused layer isformed in a substrate as a dataline DL and a stacking structureconstructed with a tunnel film, a wordline WL, a tunnel film and aground line GL is formed on the dataline DL. In such a manner,three-terminal BL tunnel elements are formed in respective cells and athreshold value is adjusted by changing a thickness of a tunnel film byan electrode like a matrix.

In applications of the aspects C to G of the present invention, since asemiconductor substrate is not necessarily required, the devices in theaspects have a feature that the devices can be formed in a film coveringan ordinary integrated circuit formed on a substrate.

[Embodiment of the aspect H of the present invention]

A fundamental constitution of the aspect H of the present invention willfirst be described.

The aspect H is directed to a new type of a read only memory deviceusing a MOS type BL tunnel element, which utilizes BL tunneling. Asmaterials of the element, those described in the aspects A and B of thepresent invention are applied to the aspect H. An oscillating circuit toproduce an input signal is used together in order to directly operateswitching. As desired embodiments, the followings are shown.

In a substrate, n+ diffused layers corresponding to a source and drainare formed in silicon substrate and a thin insulating film is formed ona channel region between the source and drain and a gate electrode isformed thereon. Therefore, the structure has three terminals of asource, drain, gate and the terminals are respectively connected to aground line (GL), a dataline (DL), a wordline (WL). Needless to say thatGL and WL can be exchanged therebetween. A gate length may be longer orshorter as compared with a channel length. A high frequency alternatingvoltage is applied on the wordline WL and a current, which flows in thechannel region, and which is caused by electrons of a BL tunnel effect,is adjusted by operating a vibration frequency of a direct currentcomponent of the alternating current voltage.

A MOS type BL tunnel element has a threshold vibration frequency ω_(T)predetermined by a structure of the element and a potential of thechannel region can periodically be vibrated by an alternating currentvoltage (V_(G) =V1 cos ωt) applied to a gate. If a vibration frequency ωof an alternating current as an input is larger than the thresholdvibration frequency ω_(T) (ω>ω_(T)), a tunneling probability isincreased exponentially and a BL tunnel current can be operated by useof this nature.

A sectional view of an element based on the structure is shown in FIG.77. When a potential difference is given between the source and drain,wherein a higher potential is on the drain side, and a vibrationfrequency ω of an alternating current applied to the gate is larger thethreshold value (ω>ω_(T)), conduction electrons in the n⁺ source regionpass through a potential barrier of several hundreds meV created in thechannel region and into a conduction band of the n⁺ drain region by a BLtunnel effect and thus a BL tunnel current flows. To the contrary, inthe conditions set above, if the vibration frequency ω is smaller(ω<ω_(T)) the conduction electrons do not pass through and thus thecurrent does not flow. An increment of a current between the source anddrain by the BL tunneling is read by a sense amplifier. Since thecurrent increment can be controlled exponentially by using factor2ω/ω_(o), the element is suitable for development to a multiple valuesystem.

The ω_(T) can be adjusted in advance according to a gate length or achannel length, a substrate, kinds of a gate and an insulating film andthe like. Since a magnitude V1 of an alternating voltage applied can besuppressed to a small value such that an inversion layer is not producedin a channel region, a margin in reliability of an insulating film canbe obtained.

Embodiments of the aspect H of the present invention will be described.

In FIG. 78, there is shown a circuit diagram of a read only memorydevice which utilizes a MOS type BL tunnel element having a sectionalview of a cell shown in FIG. 77 as a switching device. If an inputvibration frequency of a wordline WL is in excess of a threshold value,a BL tunnel current flows between the source and drain. In theembodiment, a threshold value can be set in advance in a step of afabrication process according to a gate length or a channel length, aninsulating film, kinds of a gate and a substrate and the like.

In FIG. 79, the case where two values of 0/1 are used is shown. In theembodiment, two kinds of length (L1, L2) of a superposed portion betweena gate and channel are set and thereby two threshold vibrationfrequencies are employed.

In an actual operation, when a vibrating voltage is applied only on awordline WL selected by a wordline control device 81, a current flowsonly in a dataline DL connected to a cell in a conductive condition. Thecurrent is read by a sense amplifier in a dataline control device 82.

Since a quantity of a BL tunnel current changes exponentially if athreshold vibration frequency is changed, the device is suitable fordevelopment to a multiple value system.

[Embodiment of the aspect I of the present invention]

A fundamental constitution of the aspect I of the present invention willfirst be described.

The aspect I is directed to a new type of a dynamical random accessmemory device using a MOS type BL tunnel element which utilizes BLtunneling. As materials of the element, those described in the aspects Aand B of the present invention are applied to the aspect I. Anoscillating circuit to produce an input signal is used together in orderto directly operate switching. As desired embodiments, the followingsare shown.

One three-terminal MOS type BL tunnel element is used in each cell and ahigh frequency alternating current voltage is applied to a gateelectrode connected to a wordline. Two n⁺ diffused layers are formed ina cell substrate, one of the diffused layers is connected to a groundline with a capacitor interposing therebetween and the other isconnected to a dataline. The wordline is controlled by a wordlinecontrol device and a dataline is controlled by a dataline controldevice.

A MOS type BL tunnel element which constitutes part of the structure hasa threshold vibration frequency ω_(T) which is be controllable byadjusting an insulating film, a substrate, a gate structure, a gatelength and a channel length, and a potential of the channel region canperiodically be vibrated by an alternating voltage (VG=V1 cos ωt)applied to a gate. If a vibration frequency ω of an alternating currentas an input is larger than the threshold vibration frequency ω_(T)(ω>ω_(T)), a tunneling probability is increased exponentially and thus aBL tunnel current flows, and if the vibration frequency ω of analternating current is smaller, the BL tunnel current does not flow. Thedataline and the capacitor are connected and the quantity of charges isadjusted by use of this nature. Since an inversion layer is not requiredto be formed in the channel region, no problem arises even if amagnitude of an alternating current voltage |V1| applied to a gate issmall. Therefore, a margin in reliability of an insulating film isobtainable.

Embodiments of the aspect I will be described.

A sectional view of a dynamical random access memory device using a MOStype BL tunnel element is shown in FIG. 80. In the embodiment, BLtunneling is produced by periodically vibrating a potential of a channelregion between n⁺ diffused layers by an alternating voltage applied to agate G from a wordline WL, and a dataline and a capacitor, which isconnected to a ground line, are conductive therebetween without use ofan inversion layer. A circuit diagram corresponding to the embodiment isshown in FIG. 81. The dataline DL is controlled by a dataline controldevice 92 and the wordline WL is controlled by a wordline control device91.

[Embodiment of the aspect J of the present invention]

A fundamental constitution of the aspect J of the present invention willfirst be described.

The aspect J is directed to a new type of an analogue/digital conversiondevice using plural MOS type BL tunnel elements for one word, whichelement utilizes a BL tunnel effect. As materials of the element, thosedescribed in the aspects A and B of the present invention are applied tothe aspect J. As desired embodiments, the followings are shown.

An operational principle of the MOS type BL tunnel element is shown inFIG. 82. The BL tunnel element has a threshold vibration frequency ω_(T)as a threshold value for an alternating input. When an alternatingvoltage with a vibration frequency ω is applied to a gate as an input, adirect current is made to flow ("1" is given) if ω>ω_(T) while a directcurrent is not made to flow if ω<ω_(T) ("0" is given). As shown in FIG.82, when a voltages V0 is applied, the threshold vibration frequencyω_(T) can be controlled so that the frequency is proportional to a valueobtained by the following expression:

    (φ.sub.B -eV0).sup.1/2

where φ_(B) is a remainder when an energy level of the bottom of theconduction band is subtracted by an energy of a conduction electron inan n⁺ diffused layer.

FIG. 83 shows electric characteristics of a circuit shown in FIG. 82.There is shown in the graph a relation in which if V0 increases, athreshold vibration frequency ω_(T) decreases. In FIG. 84, there isshown an analogue/digital conversion device constructed by connectingthe BL tunnel elements in parallel. The BL tunnel elements respectivelyhave threshold vibration frequencies ω₁, ω₂, ω₃, ω₄, . . . , ω_(N) andthe threshold vibration frequencies each are independently controlled byadjusting V0 of FIG. 82 by use of a dataline control device 102.

First of all, the case where N=2 is considered. If ω₁ <ω₂, an inputsignalωsatisfies one of the following conditions: ω<ω₁, ω₁ <ω<ω₂, ω₂ <ω.An output is given as (00) if ω<ω₁, an output is given as (10) if ω₁<ω<ω₂ and an output is given as (11) if ω₂ <ω. When ω₁ >ω₂ by adjustingV0, an output is given as (01) if ω₁ >ω>ω₂. In such a manner,conversions to digital information pieces of (00), (01), (10) and (11)are achieved by use of the analogue/digital conversion device. Ingeneral, N combinations of analogue quantities (ω and N-1 V0s) areconverted to 2^(N) digital information pieces (0/1 sequence). One of V0₁to V0_(N) can be grounded.

Embodiments of the aspect J of the present invention will be described.

Element structures of the embodiment are shown in FIGS. 85 and 86. FIG.86 is a sectional view corresponding to a dotted line of FIG. 85. Notonly is a wordline WL connected to a gate G, but one of n⁺ diffusedlayers in each cell is connected to a ground line GL and the other isconnected to a dataline DL. An alternating current voltage is applied onthe wordline WL as part of an input from a wordline control device. Adirect current voltage is applied on the dataline as part of an inputfrom a dataline control device. A current flows ("1") if a cell is inthe state of switch ON and a current does not flow ("0") if a cell is inthe state of switch OFF.

[Embodiment of the aspect K of the present invention]

A fundamental constitution of the aspect K of the present invention willfirst be described.

The aspect K is directed to a new type of a frequency counter deviceusing plural MOS type BL tunnel elements, which element utilizes a BLtunnel effect. As materials of the element, those described in theaspects A and B of the present invention are applied to the aspect K. Asdesired embodiments, the followings are shown.

A wordline is connected to a gate of a MOS type BL tunnel element havingn⁺ diffused layers and an input voltage of an alternating current isapplied on the wordline from a wordline control device. Gates of the MOStype BL tunnel elements are in parallel connected by the wordline. Oneof the n⁺ diffused layers is connected to a ground line, the other isconnected to the dataline and a magnitude of a current flowing in eachcell is measured by a galvanometer in a dataline control device.

The above mentioned structure is constituted by providing plural MOStype tunnel elements in parallel, each of which elements has a thresholdvalue ω_(T) adjustable based on an internal variable. If a vibrationfrequency ω of an alternating current voltage (V1 cos ωt) as an inputapplied on the wordline is larger than ω_(T) (ω>ω_(T)), a tunnelingprobability is increased exponentially, so that a BL tunnel currentflows in a channel region. In the above case, to the contrary if thevibration frequency ω of an alternating current voltage is smaller, a BLtunnel current does not flow since a tunneling probability is kept smallwithout any change. A high pass filter can be realized by a single BLtunnel element only by use of this nature. That is, a direct currentflows if ω>ω_(T) but a direct current does not flow if ω<ω_(T). Thedirect current is detected by a sense amplifier, and "1" is given whenthe current flows and "0" is given when the current does not flow.

Then N BL tunnel elements respectively having different threshold values(ω₁ <ω₂ <ω₃ < . . . <ω_(N)) are in parallel connected to a wordline.Herein, if an input satisfies an relation of ω_(n) <ω<ω_(n+1), an outputcomprises a sequence in which the left first to the left nth digitsassume "1" only and the left n+1th digit and therefrom through the rightend digit assume only "0", that is, a sequence of (111 . . . 1000 . . .0) is obtained. If the number of BL tunnel elements is sufficientlyincreased and a difference between ω_(n) and ω_(n+1) is reduced, afrequency can be counted with good accuracy.

Embodiments of the aspect K of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 87 is a view of a frequency counter device as seen from thereaboveand a sectional view taken along on a dotted line in the figure is FIG.88. A circuit diagram is shown in FIG. 89. A wordline WL is connected toa wordline control device 111 and a dataline DL is connected to adataline control device 112.

[Embodiment of the aspect L of the present invention]

A fundamental constitution of the aspect L of the present invention willfirst be described.

The aspect L has a feature that a light emitting device, an opticalwaveguide and plural photon type quantum exchange switching devices arecombined. It is a feature that inputs of the plural photon type quantumexchange switching devices are light, which is produced by the lightemitting device and passes through the optical waveguide, and a verysmall direct tunnel current flowing in a photon type quantum exchangeswitching device corresponding to each cell is increased exponentiallyby the light. As desired embodiments, the followings are shown.

(a) Plural photon type quantum exchange switching devices are inparallel connected to a sense amplifier and an output from each cellflows into the sense amplifier. When light passes through a cell, anenergy quantum corresponding to one photon is transferred to antunneling electron and a tunnel current increases only for the instantof the transfer of a photon exponentially. In this case, an intervalbetween peaks in output current can freely changed by adjusting adistance between cells. A super high frequency oscillating device can berealized by use of such a feature.

(b) If two light pulses are projected at a interval in a continuousmanner, an output current to the sense amplifier has a wave formincluding two peaks of two kinds in magnitude. If the number of largerpeaks is indicated as m and the number of smaller peaks is indicated asn, the number of cells is n+2m. If the interval of light projection isadjusted, m can freely adjusted as well. When the number of lightprojections is three or more, a sequence of light emission timeintervals can be obtained as an optical signal and thus the sequence canbe converted to an electric signal (the wave form of an output current)by simple expansion of the case where two pulses are projected. In sucha manner, an optical signal/electric signal conversion device isrealized.

A constitution illustrating a principle of the device is shown in FIG.90. An optical waveguide 121 is directly connected to a light emittingdevice 122 and the optical waveguide is sandwiched by plural pair ofelectrodes. Low voltages V_(m) (m=1, 2, . . . , N) are respectivelyapplied to pairs of electrodes and an electron in one electrode passesthrough the optical waveguide and flows into the other electrode of apair by tunneling effect, so that a very small current flows. When lightis projected from the light emitting device 122 to a pair of electrodesthrough the optical waveguide 122, a tunnel electron absorbs one photonand thereby a tunnel current flowing through between the pair ofelectrodes is increased exponentially, wherein a scattering process inabsorption of two photons is neglected since occurrence of thescattering is very low in terms of probability.

A light propagation distance between a cell m and a cell m+1 isindicated by 1_(m),m+1. When a light pulse passes a region (W1) of theoptical waveguide, which a cell 1 occupies, in a time length Δt at timet₁, an output current receives an increment from the cell 1 at anexponential rate, so that a peak as shown at the left end of FIG. 91appears. Thereafter, when the light pulse passes through a cell 2, aphoton is absorbed by a tunneling electron and thus the left second peakin FIG. 91 appears. In a similar manner as these, each time when a lightpulse passes cells, a peak of an output current appears. Herein, Δt_(m)is a time length to pass a region W_(m) of a optical waveguide occupiedby a cell, m and t_(m) is a time point when a light pulse passes throughthe central area of the region W_(m), which is defined by a position ofa peak shown in FIG. 91. When a light velocity in an optical waveguideis indicated by c, a relation is obtained: t_(m+1) -t_(m) =1_(m), m+1/c. Therefore, in order to make a wave form shown in FIG. 91 as orderlyas can, the following condition is necessary to be met:

    min(1.sub.1,2,1.sub.,2,3, . . . , 1.sub.N-1,N)/c>max(Δt.sub.1,Δt.sub.2, . . . , Δt.sub.N)

A device which can satisfies the above condition can be designed byadjusting 1_(m), m+1 and W_(m).

Since a velocity at which light propagates is very fast, a time length(a delay time) in which a current comes out from a cell and reaches thesense amplifier is required to be paid attention. When a delay time fora cell m is indicated by τ_(m), the following condition is necessary tobe met.

    min(1.sub.1,2, 1.sub.,2,3, . . . , 1.sub.N-1,N)/c>>max(τ.sub.1, τ.sub.2, . . . , τ.sub.N)

It is required to adjust 1_(m), m+1, a parasitic capacitance, a lengthof an interconnect up to a sense amplifier and the like in order to meetthe condition. In addition, a wave form can be adjusted by changing asign or a magnitude of V_(m) as well.

As is described above, when one light pulse is emitted, a wave form ofan output current has N peaks. If a second light pulse is emitted at atime of Δ after the first light pulse is emitted, a new wave form is asuperposition of the previous wave form and the first light emission.Therefore, a wave form can be adjusted by operating Δ as well.

Embodiments of the aspect L of the present invention will be described.

A first embodiment will first be described. The case where light pulsesare continued to be emitted at a time interval Δ=N1/c is considered,where V_(m) =V, 1_(m),m+1 =1. In this case, a wave form obtained isshown in FIG. 92 and it can be seen from the figure that two wave formsare connected in a continuous manner. Since a time interval betweenadjacent peaks is 1/c, a super high frequency oscillating device havinga frequency of c/1 can be realized.

A second embodiment will be described. The cases where two light pulsesare projected at an interval of Δ, wherein V_(m) =V, 1_(m),m+1 =1. InFIG. 93A, a wave form when Δ=(N-1)1/c is shown. A large peak in thecenter is produced by superposition of contributions of light passingthrough a cell 1 and of that through a cell N. In FIG. 93B, a wave formwhen Δ=(N-2)1/c is shown. Two large peaks in the center are producedrespectively by superposition of current increases from a cell N-1 and acell 1 on the left side and by superposition of current increases from acell N a cell 2 on the right side. In FIG. 93C, a wave form whenΔ=[N-(N-1)]1/c=1/c is shown. Large peaks are respectively produced fromsuperpositions of current increases in a cell 2 and a cell 1, a cell 3and a cell 2, a cell 4 and a cell 3, . . . , a cell N-I and a cell N-2and a cell N and a cell N-1. The cases where 3 or more light pulses areoscillated are simple expansions of the above description and thereforedetailed description is omitted. In the case where Q light pulses areoscillated, however, correspondence between a sequence of time intervalsof oscillation (Δ₁,2, Δ₂,3, . . . , Δ_(Q-1),Q) and output wave forms arepossible. In such a manner, there is realized a device in which an theoptical signal can be converted to an electric signal when lightoscillation sequence is used as an optical signal.

[Embodiment of the aspect M of the present invention]

A fundamental constitution of the aspect M of the present invention willfirst be described.

The aspect M is directed to a semiconductor composite substrate, forexample, wherein two kinds of semiconductor of Si and GaAs each in theshape of a band are provided in one substrate. A composite substrateincluding a semiconductor other than silicon and GaAs may be used and inaddition plural kinds of semiconductor which are different from eachother or one another in surface orientation or molecular structure areprovided on one substrate may be used as well.

In FIG. 94, a semiconductor composite wafer comprising two kinds ofsemiconductor A, B is shown. In the figure, hatched regions are ofsemiconductor A, white regions are of semiconductor B, and black regionsare isolation regions of the substrate. In FIG. 95, there is shown aprocess in which a chip is cut out from the composite wafer. As shown inFIG. 95, three kinds of chip can be cut out from the compositesubstrate, that is a composite chip, a semiconductor A chip and asemiconductor B chip can be cut out. In the case of a composite waferusing three kinds of semiconductor, a semiconductor chip or asemiconductor composite chip comprising any one, any two or three ofthree kinds of semiconductor can be cut out. A semiconductor chip or asemiconductor composite chip in the case of four or more kinds can beobtained in a similar way to the case of three kinds.

Embodiments of the aspect M will be described.

As shown in FIG. 107, integrated circuits (A-IC and B-IC) arerespectively and independently fabricated on a single crystalsemiconductor A(c-A) and a single crystal semiconductor B(c-B), bothsemiconductors sandwiching a substrate isolation region fabricated byuse of an oxide film therebetween, and there is formed wiring whichconnects A-IC and B-IC striding across an oxide film which works as asubstrate isolation region. The wiring includes all means each of whichmakes it possible to exchange of a signal between A-IC and B-IC, such asoptical wiring, electric wiring and the like.

Description will be given following the order of steps of a fabricationprocess. First of all, as shown in FIG. 96, single crystal semiconductorA and single crystal semiconductor B respectively cut out so as toacquire a flat surface in a proper direction are bonded to each otherwith an adhesive therebetween by heat pressing and as shown in FIG. 97,a bonded layer A/B is formed. This process can be performed without anyadhesive.

Then the bonded semiconductor is cut out along a dotted line shown inFIG. 97 and an oxide film is formed on a surface as shown in FIG. 98.Subsequently, a mask is formed on the oxide film and thereafter etchingis conducted to expose a substrate A as shown in FIG. 99. As shown inFIGS. 100 and 101, epitaxial growth of semiconductor A is conducted onthe exposed surface of the substrate A. Subsequently, second oxidationis conducted, thereafter a mask is formed and etching follows to exposea substrate B as shown in FIG. 102. As shown in FIGS. 103 and 104,epitaxial growth of semiconductor B is conducted on the exposed surfaceof the substrate B. Thereafter, all the surface is oxidized andthereafter a mask is formed and etching follows as shown in FIG. 105 anda substrate isolation region by an oxide film is fabricated as is shownin FIG. 106.

Finally, integrated circuits are independently and respectivelyfabricated on the substrates A and B and wiring is formed so as tostride across the oxide film. In such a manner, integrated circuits canbe fabricated on a composite substrate as shown in FIG. 107.

According to the present invention, since absorption of energy quantumby a tunneling electron is adopted as an operational principle, therecan be obtained a new device having a feature that there are available amargin in reliability of an insulating film and the like.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occurs to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects isnot limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shownand described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventiveconcept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A quantum effect device comprising:potentialbarrier through which electrons tunnel; and pumping means for pumpingtunneling electrons existing in said potential barrier while tunneling,thereby increasing tunnel current, wherein the tunnel current isexponentially increased.
 2. The device according to claim 1, whereinsaid pumping means achieves a switching on presence or non-presence ofthe exponential increase of the tunnel current.
 3. The device accordingto claim 1, wherein a photon is used as said pumping means.
 4. Thedevice according to claim 1, wherein a high frequency vibration of apotential is used as said pumping means.
 5. A quantum effect devicecomprising:a tunnel film; a pair of electrodes with said tunnel filminterposing therebetween; and means for exponentially increasing atunnel current flowing between said pair of electrodes by photonexchange between light passing through said tunnel film and tunnelelectrons flowing between said pair of electrodes.
 6. A quantum effectdevice comprising:a tunnel film having a potential barrier; a first andsecond terminals from which a tunnel current flows through said tunnelfilm; and means for applying a high frequency voltage to at least one ofsaid first and second terminal to supply a high frequency vibration tothe potential barrier of said tunnel film, and exponentially increasingthe tunnel current flowing through said tunnel film with a predeterminedthreshold frequency as a boundary value.
 7. A quantum effect devicecomprising:a tunnel film having a potential barrier; a first and secondterminals from which a tunnel current flows through said tunnel film; athird terminal through which a high frequency vibration is supplied tothe potential barrier of said tunnel film; and means for exponentiallyincreasing the tunnel current flowing through said tunnel film with apredetermined threshold vibration frequency as a boundary value.
 8. Aquantum effect device comprising:a substrate; a first tunnel film formedon said substrate; a first gate formed on said first tunnel film; asecond tunnel film formed on said first gate; a second gate formed onsaid second tunnel film; means for supplying high frequency vibration tosaid first gate and exponentially increasing a tunnel current flowingbetween said first gate and said substrate and flowing said first gateand said second gate with a predetermined threshold vibration frequencyas a boundary value.
 9. A quantum effect device comprising:a substrate;a first tunnel film formed on said substrate; a first gate formed onsaid first tunnel film; a second tunnel film formed on said first gate;a second gate formed on said second tunnel film; means for supplyinghigh frequency vibration to said second gate and exponentiallyincreasing a tunnel current flowing between said first gate and saidsecond gate with a predetermined threshold vibration frequency as aboundary value.
 10. The quantum effect device according to claim 9,further comprising a source region formed in said substrate, a drainregion formed in said substrate, a channel region formed in saidsubstrate abutted to said source region and said drain region.
 11. Thequantum effect device according to claim 10, wherein the quantum effectdevice is a non-volatile memory device.
 12. A quantum effect devicecomprising:a semiconductor layer; an insulating film formed on saidsemiconductor layer; a channel region formed in said semiconductor layerand having a potential barrier; first and second terminals from which atunnel current flows into said channel region, said first and secondterminals provided at both ends of said channel region, respectively; athird terminal formed on said insulating film and supplying a highfrequency vibration to the potential barrier of said channel regionthrough said insulating film; and means for exponentially increasing thetunnel current flowing into said channel region with a predeterminedthreshold vibration frequency as a boundary value.